On September 24, Environmental Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree heard final arguments in a case brought by the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i over permits that allow East Maui stream water to be diverted out of the watershed. The group argues that the state Board of … Continued
On August 14, the state Commission on Water Resource Management approved a Pearl Harbor Water Shortage Plan, which dictates how the commission will determine when there is a water shortage and the actions various types of permitted users of the … Continued
The Hawai‘i Supreme Court has upheld the decision of the state Land Use Commission in a dispute over water on Lana‘i that goes back three decades, allowing the use of brackish water from the island’s high-level aquifer to be used … Continued
On June 16, the Commission on Water Resource Management granted Wailuku Water Company’s (WWC) request for a contested case hearing on allegations that it dumped water diverted by its Waihe‘e ditch into a dry stream bed over 16 days between September 2019 … Continued
Also at its June meeting, the commission approved a joint funding agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for a $100,000 study to determine what kinds of data should be collected to determine impacts of native and non-native plant species on … Continued
When, exactly, should an environmental assessment or impact statement be done for a state action? Regarding the century-long diversion of water from dozens of East Maui streams for sugarcane and now diversified agriculture and municipal uses, Alexander & Baldwin’s efforts … Continued
The following article was originally printed in our August 1997 edition. In the decades since, it is one of our many early pieces that have served as a good primer on the complex and convoluted discussions regarding East Maui stream … Continued
Finally! An ‘Ohi‘a Rust Rule: In 2005, a new invader to the islands was discovered on trees in the myrtle family, including Hawai‘i’s iconic ‘ohi‘a tree. Some species, especially rose apple, were devastated by Puccinia psidii, a rust-type fungus that appears to … Continued
The Supreme Court’s April decision in a case involving effluent from the Lahaina, Maui, sewage treatment plant may have ramifications for a host of other facilities in Hawai‘i. That ruling found that where there was a close connection between the … Continued
Nearly a year ago, the Board of Land and Natural Resources granted a 55-year easement and a right-of-entry permit to allow a non-profit group of Hanalei taro farmers to repair and maintain the ancient, pre-contact Hawaiian irrigation system that they rely on … Continued