When SpaceX was proposing its Starship-Super Heavy Launch program at its 65-acre site in south Texas, it needed to obtain permission from the Federal Aviation Administration, the sole federal agency that controlled SpaceX actions on private property. The FAA obliged, … Continued
Punaluʻu Problems: Opponents of the redevelopment of Black Sand Beach, in the Big Island district of Kaʻu, celebrated in mid-May when it seemed the former owner, S M Investment Partners, LLC, had successfully sued the developer for foreclosure. But the … Continued
The federal criminal trial of three men accused of conspiring with a Hawaiʻi County employee to defraud the county by abusing affordable housing agreements has been in the news lately. However, that is not the only litigation that has been … Continued
In the weeks leading up to the trial of three men accused of defrauding the County of Hawaiʻi by scheming to acquire and then resell affordable housing credits, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi has seen a … Continued
Since December 12, 2023, Launiupoko Water Company, Inc., has been involved in a case before the state Public Utilities Commission, seeking approval for increased rates for its sale of potable water to its customers on agricultural lands in West Maui … Continued
Maui Land & Pine Hikes Water Rates, Leading to Complaint With PUC Kapalua, the resort community on Maui’s west side – dominated by hotels, condos, luxurious second homes inside gated subdivisions, and golf courses – depends on water. And nearly … Continued
In Memoriam: On March 5, Jonathan Starr passed away in Woodstock, New York. He will be remembered in Hawaiʻi for his advocacy for clean water and clean government. He chaired the Maui County Planning Commission and the Democratic Party, served … Continued
An odd word, oversight. Its two meanings are the very opposites of each other. In the case of the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ oversight of the agency under its roof that is constitutionally charged with protecting Hawaiʻi’s cultural … Continued
For more than 15 years, the regulatory environment under which the Nani Mau Gardens operated has been unchanged. In recent months, however, activity to change that environment has started up at a pretty fast clip. At present, the 23 acres … Continued
A community organization, Hui Kānāwai ʻOiaʻiʻo, has sued Governor Josh Green, the state Commission on Water Resource Management, and two individuals, arguing that the governor’s appointment of one of them – Vincent Hinano Rodrigues – to a position on the … Continued