The federal criminal trial of three men accused of conspiring with a Hawaiʻi County employee to defraud the county by abusing affordable housing agreements has been in the news lately. However, that is not the only litigation that has been … Continued
In the weeks leading up to the trial of three men accused of defrauding the County of Hawaiʻi by scheming to acquire and then resell affordable housing credits, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi has seen a … Continued
Since December 12, 2023, Launiupoko Water Company, Inc., has been involved in a case before the state Public Utilities Commission, seeking approval for increased rates for its sale of potable water to its customers on agricultural lands in West Maui … Continued
Maui Land & Pine Hikes Water Rates, Leading to Complaint With PUC Kapalua, the resort community on Maui’s west side – dominated by hotels, condos, luxurious second homes inside gated subdivisions, and golf courses – depends on water. And nearly … Continued
In Memoriam: On March 5, Jonathan Starr passed away in Woodstock, New York. He will be remembered in Hawaiʻi for his advocacy for clean water and clean government. He chaired the Maui County Planning Commission and the Democratic Party, served … Continued
An odd word, oversight. Its two meanings are the very opposites of each other. In the case of the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ oversight of the agency under its roof that is constitutionally charged with protecting Hawaiʻi’s cultural … Continued
For more than 15 years, the regulatory environment under which the Nani Mau Gardens operated has been unchanged. In recent months, however, activity to change that environment has started up at a pretty fast clip. At present, the 23 acres … Continued
A community organization, Hui Kānāwai ʻOiaʻiʻo, has sued Governor Josh Green, the state Commission on Water Resource Management, and two individuals, arguing that the governor’s appointment of one of them – Vincent Hinano Rodrigues – to a position on the … Continued
Less than 1 percent of the land nominally managed by the state Agribusiness Development Corporation is found on the island of Hawaiʻi, according to a pie chart in the agency’s most recent report to the Legislature. That fraction is all … Continued
The failure of the Agribusiness Development Corporation to collect rent on its Keaʻau parcel represents the loss to the state of a significant income stream over the years. If the state were to receive a modest 6 percent return on … Continued