Kahului Harbor EIS needed a decade ago

The Maui News
Sunday, March 11, 2007
EDITORIAL

Maui Rep. Joe Souki raises a legitimate concern when he objects to a call for an environmental impact statement that focuses on a single new harbor user. But a compromise bill offered by the state Senate, led by Neighbor Island senators, addresses the concern by focusing on all the issues raised by the need for harbors expansions.

The problem is not the bill, nor is it the proposed Hawaii Superferry. It is the failure of the state Department of Transportation to fully anticipate the need to provide for the increasing demands on the state's commercial harbors - and particularly Kahului Harbor, which is the sole port for freight coming in and going out needed by residents and businesses on Maui.

An environmental impact statement is needed to identify and propose mitigative measures on traffic increases on congested Kahului roadways, on the need for space in land-tight Kahului and Lihue, on a need for safety measures to separate cargo from passengers, on the potential for introduction of unwanted pests, not only aboard the Superferry but in cargo and on passengers from cruise ships, overseas containers and Young Brothers barges.

It should have been prepared a decade ago, when the state already knew there was a growing demand not only for cargo space but for use of Kahului Harbor by the growing number of passenger vessels.

The administration of Gov. Linda Lingle can hardly be faulted for the failure of previous state administrations to address the demands created by growth on Maui. But as Maui County's former mayor, she knows better than any previous governor the issues and concerns close to the hearts of Maui residents.

It is on her watch that the state Department of Transportation signed the agreements that allowed the Hawaii Superferry to acquire its federal loan guarantees and provided the assurances that harbors will be prepared for the Superferry - or the state will pay a penalty.

It has been documented that former Transportation Director Rod Haraga was sidelined in 2004 - before the Harbors Division provided a Letter of Intent committing to harbor improvements dated on Dec. 9, 2004. That lays responsibility on the Lingle administration to determine what the state needs to do to remedy concerns of the communities on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.