January began with the TIO (the TMT International Observatory, LLC) wrapping up its case in support of the Conservation District Use Permit for the Thirty Meter Telescope. Witnesses included two native Hawaiians with doctoral degrees in astronomy or astrophysics: Paul … Continued
As the case involving the challenge to the application to build the Thirty Meter Telescope enters its fifth month of testimony and evidence, some government procedure wonks have raised the question: Are contested cases still appropriate for disputes coming before … Continued
Robin W. Baird. The Lives of Hawai`i’s Dolphins and Whales: Natural History and Conservation. University of Hawai`i Press, 2016. 342 pages (including bibliography and index). Less than two decades ago, knowledge of and research into Hawai`i’s cetaceans was pretty much … Continued
The contested case hearing on a Conservation District Use Application for the Thirty-Meter Telescope continued its slow pace last month, with 11 days of hearings. On December 13, the University of Hawai`i, which is the applicant for the Conservation District … Continued
Seawall Comes Down: The seawall in Keaukaha that was put up early last year has come down – for the most part, at least. The wall was built by Robert Iopa, an architect who owns the lot immediately mauka of … Continued
How much does the Green Energy Market Securitization (GEMS) program cost customers of Hawaiian Electric utilities? According to the latest figures submitted to the state Public Utilities Commission, each business day from January 1 through June 30, Hawaiian Electric will … Continued
On November 28, the Hawai`i Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA) proposed a new method by which GEMS funds could be distributed to residential customers. As with several other previous proposals, the Public Utilities Commission batted it down, ordering instead an “informal … Continued
On Gravitational Waves and GPS On October 27, Brannon Kamahana Kealoha cross-examined Günter Hasinger, director of the University of Hawai`i’s Institute for Astronomy, for nearly two hours, covering a vast range of subjects. In addition to excerpts published in … Continued
More than eight years ago, the state Land Use Commission reclassified a 731-acre parcel just upslope of the village of Waikoloa, in the South Kohala district of the Big Island. It shifted the land use classification from Agricultural to Rural … Continued
In January 2014, the Hawai`i County Department of Finance prepared a list of those properties it intended to auction on January 16 for failure to pay property taxes. Ten of the 76 parcels belonged to Waikoloa Mauka, LLC. At virtually … Continued