Here is a short description of the businesses that have so far made public their interest in obtaining the use of state land in the Hamakua area for biomass, biofuels, or timber production: Hamakua Biomass Energy, LLC: This company has … Continued
Act 212 of the 2007 Legislature set up the `aha kiole advisory committee as a first step toward developing a resource management system that would incorporate Native Hawaiian traditions. In the two years since then, the committee has been embroiled … Continued
Efforts of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to carry out the wishes of the state Legislature have earned the displeasure of – well, legislators. At a hearing last month in Hilo, three members of the Senate Committee on … Continued
For two legislators, their proudest moment in the 2009 legislative session came with passage of a bill giving the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism half a million dollars to buy a spaceport license from the Federal Aviation Administration. … Continued
The 2009 Legislature closed up shop in May, but suspense lingers over what it has or will have accomplished. The deadline for the governor’s veto is July 15, although she was to have submitted to the Legislature a list of … Continued
To judge by the testimony submitted, Senate Bill 1345, calling for holders of leases of state lands to be compensated if any acreage is withdrawn, was one of the less controversial measures taken up by the 2009 Legislature. Only the … Continued
In the opinion of hearing officer Lawrence Miike, no one got it right. The Maui Department of Water Supply’s proposal to amend the interim instream flow standards (IIFS) of four West Maui streams – known collectively as Na Wai `Eha … Continued
“Unless the fence is repaired, the birds don’t have much of a chance, do they? The numbers look pretty terrible.” The comment came from U.S. District Judge Samuel King at a May hearing on a motion filed by Earthjustice to … Continued
Because the boat building and repair shop of Honolulu Marine, LLC (HM), doesn’t conform to the Hawai`i Community Development Corporation’s plans for Kaka`ako, the agency is kicking the company off the Kewalo basin property it has leased from the state … Continued
Last month, the state Environmental Council lost two more members. The resignations brought to four the number of members quitting in disgust this year. On May 4, David Bylund, chairman of the council’s annual report committee, submitted his resignation letter … Continued