What’s next for Ahmad Mohammadi? In October, the Hawai`i County planning director rejected the draft environmental assessment Mohammadi had prepared for clearing, grading and other work he had done two years or more earlier on land he owns in the … Continued
Rapid Invasion of Wasp Threatens Hawai`i’s Endemic Wiliwili Trees The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry is housed in a brand new building in Hilo. Plants used in its landscaping are mostly native to Hawai`i, which is only appropriate, given that … Continued
The hot midday sun of a Kona summer beat down on Jill Wagner as she leapt into her car and began frantically punching numbers into her cell phone. At the same time, she circled the vacant land opposite Kealakehe High … Continued
Aupaka czar. You won’t find a job description for this post among the thousands of positions listed with the state Department of Human Resources Development. But if the wahine noho kula, or aupaka (Isodendrion pyrifolium) is to be preserved into … Continued
“Our clients have been eminently patient… Our patience is wearing thin,” Earthjustice attorney Kapua Sproat told members of the state Commission on Water Resource Management at their January 11 meeting in Honolulu. It’s been 19 months since Sproat’s clients – … Continued
It’s an `apapane party in the Kona unit of the Hakalau Forest Reserve. The bright morning sun glints off their pinkish-red bodies as they flit between `ohi`a trees. Their varied calls fill the forest. `Amakihi, `elepaio, and `i`iwi can also … Continued
Secrets of Waimea: The secret mediation surrounding the recent agreement by state, federal, and private agencies to pay $14 million for Waimea Valley are no longer secret. At the request of court-appointed mediator Clyde Matsui, First Circuit Judge Gary Chang … Continued
Maui Wind Farm Disputes Damages, Get Reduced Fine For Gulch Dump The access road to the long-awaited wind farm at Ukumehame, Maui, being built by Kaheawa Wind Power, LLC, broke ground last September – a little too much ground. Four … Continued
Whether or not environmental assessments or impact statements should have a shelf life is an old question, but it has gained traction lately with the recent resurrection of a 20-year-old project: The expansion of Turtle Bay resort, on the North … Continued
On the whole, the Department of Land and Natural Resources fared pretty well in the state budget for fiscal year 2007. Total operational expenses allowed for the department in the year that starts July 1 come to $91,127,749. When stacked … Continued