Since 2001, the Hawai’i Department of Health has proposed fines totaling about $5 million against what would seem to be some of the state’s biggest environmental scofflaws: Eco-Feed, Maui Electric Company, Silva’s Equipment Rental, Inc., Marisco, Ltd., Chaminade University, the … Continued
Disappearing Act: The Incredible Shrinking Fines at the DOH Time and again, newspaper headlines in Hawai’i scream out the apparently high fines the state Department of Health proposes for any and all who fail to toe the line when it … Continued
“The distance from Los Angeles to Honolulu is half that between the Middle East and New York City, and it made that jump,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Jeff Burgett says, describing the leaps made by the West Nile … Continued
With more boats and more whales, it only stands to reason that there will be more collisions between them. And a study prepared last year for the Hawaiian Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary bears out that suspicion. The study, by … Continued
“Few sectors of the tourism industry have experienced the same levels of growth in such a concentrated period of time as whale- and dolphin-based operations. As the popularity of interacting with marine mammals in the wild increases, managers of these … Continued
Conflicts over commercial uses of Hawai`i’s coastal areas receive attention because they have an impact on lots of people. Fistfights are not uncommon in disputes over who stays and who goes in certain desirable areas. While overuse by tourists and … Continued
How much does Hawai’i value its natural resources? If one looks to the governor’s 2004 budget message, it would seem that the administration of Linda Lingle places a high premium on protecting the environment. It was among the top five … Continued
When Environment Hawai’i sought comment from DLNR administrator Peter Young on the budget cuts suffered by his department, we were asked to submit questions in writing to the DLNR’s public information officer, Debbie Ward. Here are the questions we asked … Continued
On Returning to My Islands There is an awakening moment, every once in a while, when I am staring up into a tree and then suddenly notice all the fruit hidden among the leaves. Every time I come back to … Continued