According to court documents, the appeal of Judge Nishimura’s January 8 ruling is expected to cover the following issues, among others: Whether she correctly ruled that the permits were invalid under Hawai`i Revised Statues Chapter 171 (the state’s law governing … Continued
On February 4, First Circuit Judge Rhonda Nishimura granted an interlocutory appeal of her January 8 ruling that four holdover revocable permits held by Alexander and Baldwin and the East Maui Irrigation Co., and renewed by the state Board of … Continued
In the coming months, the state Commission on Water Resource Management is expected to hear oral arguments on contested case hearing officer Lawrence Miike’s January 16 proposed Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision and Order regarding Na Moku … Continued
March 2016
Two years ago, research by the University of Hawai`i’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) revealed that flooding from the combination of a one-meter rise in sea level and a hurricane or a tsunami could affect 80 … Continued
Although the merger of Hawaiian Electric with NextEra Energy has yet to be approved by the Public Utilities Commission, it would seem from a recent filing with the PUC that the prospective new owner of Hawai`i’s largest utility is already … Continued
A feud between Hawaiian Electric and SunEdison could put in jeopardy three of the four large-scale solar power projects approved for O`ahu last year. On February 12, Hawaiian Electric informed the Public Utilities Commission that it “exercised its termination rights” … Continued
On Friday, February 5, the state Senate Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology deferred a bill that would have repealed the state’s beverage container recycling programs. Introduced by committee vice chair Sen. Sam Slom and Sen. Lorraine Inouye, Senate … Continued
Our February 2016 cover story incorrectly stated that the hearing officer’s recommendations in the East Maui interim instream flow standards (IIFS) contested case hearing was expected early this year, when, in fact, those recommendations had been issued on January 15. … Continued
First Circuit Judge Rhonda Nishimura has granted an interlocutory appeal and a stay of her January 8 ruling invalidating the four revocable permits the state Board of Land and Natural Resources granted in 2014 to allow Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. … Continued