Charlie99
Contributor
- Messages
- 7,966
- Reaction score
- 166
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
http://starbulletin.com/breaking/breaking.php?id=6153A Maui judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the Superferry's use of Kahului Harbor until a court hearing can be held within 10 days.
Judge Joseph Cardoza says the Superferry can no longer use Pier 2 at the harbor but that the ferry's operators are required to return customers who already took the ship on its first two days of operation to their "home" port. After which, Hawaii Superferry must "immediately cease operations at Kahului Harbor," said Cardoza's order issued this afternoon.
Although it may seem strange that the tro is only with respect to Pier 2, my understanding of the legal battle is that there was never anything close to a requirement for an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement for the ferry proper (just as a new cruise ship or a new airline doesn't have to file EIS). What the legal wrangle is about is the expansion of the Kahului harbor.
The real situation is that many people simply don't want people from Oahu invading the outer islands, and various legal tools are being used to fight that.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Aug/27/br/br9841357260.html is a well written article explaining the legal situation.