Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

What a shocking turn of events.

So if they halt the SF, they'll likely to get sued. If they don't do the EIS, they'll get sued. I wonder if they can rush the EIS while the SF operates?

It will be interesting to watch.

[pzarquon]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

Anyone who believes the courts will ban the SuperFerry, within mere days of the startup, is delusional.

We're all seeing pink elephants now!

Talk about a 'Hail Mary' pass. A late court motion, a fantastically swift response... seems as if the Hawaii Supreme Court was waiting for this one to come in. Unanimous, at that. Shocking, as noted, especially given the timing... but even as a Hawaii Superferry fan, I'm on record (as are others) here months ago as saying that the EIS exemption seemed sketchy, and that it'd be naive of Hawaii Superferry to think it would be smooth sailing.

[mel]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

This decision on behalf of the environmental wackos, opponents and possibly competitors, certainly cements Hawaii's continuing reputation as one of the worst places in the U.S. to do business.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

This decision on behalf of the environmental wackos, opponents and possibly competitors, certainly cements Hawaii's continuing reputation as one of the worst places in the U.S. to do business.

Agreed, it's not the actual denial decision that makes Hawaii's business reputation stink, it's always the wishy-washy, flip-flopping. You give a company a green light, then a red when they spent all their resources getting ready. If Hawaii can't iron out a consistent business application approach, Hawaii will never be taken serious as a place to do business.

[Sprite]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

...the EIS exemption seemed sketchy, and that it'd be naive of Hawaii Superferry to think it would be smooth sailing.

I've stayed out of it all and I will admit that I'm ignorant of what went on in the background prior to HSF coming over. I can say, however, that I was left scratching my head when NOAA and/or UH people giving a talk at Hanauma Bay seemed all too calm about the danger to the endangered ocean species when they were questioned about the ferry.

I just remember being very puzzled at the lack of any real demonstrated concern. Now, listening to this stuff... this is sounding more and more like intentional sabotage. I certainly hope not, but it just looks so nasty. I'm not a supporter of HSF but I'm not against it either. I'm pretty neutral. My only concern has been for the humpbacks. Other than that, I could care less.

Now I'm just a little angry about it making us look, once again, like a really ugly place to do business. It's bad enough already. Hmmm... now I'm thinking... maybe one of you more enlightened people might know something more about what has puzzled me for some time now... what really happened with NCL? They were so happy to be here. Were they promised the moon and then, did they too, have the carpet pulled out from under them somewhere?

Is this more of the State's bureaucratic nonsense or is it more crab-in-the-bucket crap? I don't get it! Say yes or no at the beginning and get out of the way! Don't say yes and then later say, "Uh, try wait..." It's frustrating for business and embarrassing for us! We look so damn stupid! I'm just making myself angry. I'm not blaming the Supreme Court, they were presented with this stuff last minute -- I'm blaming the idiots that took all this time to SAY SOMETHING!

Beggging you news hounds here for enlightenment! I'm ignorant and opinionated -- this combo is bad for blood pressure. Anyone is welcome to squelch one or the other!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

How long will it take to draft an EIS?

The estimates range from six months to three years.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

The estimates range from six months to three years.

While in the meantime the the lawyers will be getting rich from all the lawsuits that will be happening against the State of Hawaii by HSF, etc.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

So if they halt the SF, they'll likely to get sued. If they don't do the EIS, they'll get sued. I wonder if they can rush the EIS while the SF operates?

It seems that the next play in this chess match will be an attempt to file a injuction to stop HSF from operating if the HDOT does not voluntarily
stop HSF. Either way the lawyers are going to be getting rich.

[scrivener]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

I totally understand people's frustration with this entire thing, but I don't think it's fair to call anyone a "whacko" about this. While it's certainly true that some of the external forces at work here are competing businesses that just don't want the SF to succeed, it seems to me that most of the people pushing for an EIS are people who are concerned about the environmental impact such a thing will have on Hawaii's resources.

That's not a whacko position, if you ask me. There was a time in this country when we just didn't give a rip about stuff like that, and we paid the price as our waterways became toxic, our groundwater contaminated, and our air disgusting to breathe. I am no environmentalist (most environmentalists seem to work under the idea that the earth is like some kind of child that needs our care, while I think of it more as a sleeping dragon that will toast us if we don't appease it), but I would hate for the already dwindling population of the Hawaiian monk seal, for example, to be further threatened just because we didn't take some time to set up an alternate plan if, in fact, the SF would threaten it.

Knowledge is never a bad thing. It would be nice to KNOW that the SF will not be as destructive to the resources as it would be beneficial to the economy or to our quality of life.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

This decision on behalf of the environmental wackos, opponents and possibly competitors, certainly cements Hawaii's continuing reputation as one of the worst places in the U.S. to do business.

Me, in regards to your comment you left on my blog, yes I wanted a EIS to be completed for HSF. It should've been done before HSF initiated starting
up service though. Not mid stream and not after millions had been invested in the project. Hence I fault HDOT from exempting HSF from doing an EIS.

I see parallels between Hokulia and the HSF. 350 million was invested before Judge Ibarra enjoined Hokulia. HSF is in the same scenario,money has been invested, but the courts puts up roadblocks. Due to the latter is one of the reasons why we have such a horrible business climate.

[timkona]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

Just more of the same old Politics of NO. Liberal cry babies. Costing us, the TAXPAYERS more and more money. Most of the libs don't give a rip cuz they don't really work for a living in the first place. Or they think that raising taxes is a perfectly good plan to pay off the lawsuits.

I know I sound like a stuck record, but the Politics of NO is killing this state. It is being led by a group of myopic idiots who just don't think straight.

Boring Boring Boring

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

I totally understand people's frustration with this entire thing, but I don't think it's fair to call anyone a "whacko" about this.

I disagree, it seems these folks are CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything). It frustrates me when this element stalls everything from
roads to HSF. Its like these people are holding the overall community hostage.Do you think that is fair, I don't think so.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

I know I sound like a stuck record, but the Politics of NO is killing this state. It is being led by a group of myopic idiots who just don't think straight.

Tim, I completely agree the politics of NO is killing this state. It deeply frustrates me when a small segment of community holds the overall community hostage. It reminds me when I read Jack Kelly (Of Hokulia fame) mentioned that he was a private attorney general, trying to enforce the law when government would not. Last I checked I never voted for him to be my private attorney general.

[scrivener]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

I disagree, it seems these folks are CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything). It frustrates me when this element stalls everything from
roads to HSF. Its like these people are holding the overall community hostage.Do you think that is fair, I don't think so.

You can't use the majority opinion to determine something rightness or wrongness. It may be a small handful of people who "hold hostage" the community, but it was a small handful of people who campaigned for women's suffrage, many years ago, and it is a small handful of people who champion marijuana legalization now. The fact that the protestors are small in number by itself doesn't make them wrong. They may, in fact, be wrong, but it's not becaue they are few.

I wish you'd address the rest of my point if you're going to disagree. As I said, I understand the frustration, but are you saying you don't care at all about the environmental impact this thing might have, or are you saying that you're pretty sure, even without the study, that it's going to be minimal?

Either way, it sounds to me as if you're saying it IS fair to call these people whackos; yet I think I've presented a reasonable case for the study. Is my own argument that of a whacko?

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawai'i Superferry - Chapter 4

You can't use the majority opinion to determine something rightness or wrongness. It may be a small handful of people who "hold hostage" the community, but it was a small handful of people who campaigned for women's suffrage, many years ago, and it is a small handful of people who champion marijuana legalization now. The fact that the protestors are small in number by itself doesn't make them wrong. They may, in fact, be wrong, but it's not becaue they are few.

I wish you'd address the rest of my point if you're going to disagree. As I said, I understand the frustration, but are you saying you don't care at all about the environmental impact this thing might have, or are you saying that you're pretty sure, even without the study, that it's going to be minimal?

Either way, it sounds to me as if you're saying it IS fair to call these people whackos; yet I think I've presented a reasonable case for the study. Is my own argument that of a whacko?

I'm for the environment but I have to wonder, why is this minority only attacking the HSF when YB and NCL don't have to do an EIS? The answer is grandfathered in but if this is truly about the environment, does that really matter? I see this inconsistency and that's why it bothers me. I also don't get why this decision is now finally made at the 11th hour? Shouldn't this debate have been done and over at the beginning, before the keel of the ship was even laid?