Aug. 29, 2007 The Honorable Gary L. Hooser State Senator Hawai’i State Capitol – Room 214 Honolulu 96813 Dear Senator Hooser, I was disappointed at the letter I received from you regarding the Hawai‘i Superferry. It is unfortunate that your
Aug. 29, 2007
The Honorable Gary L. Hooser
State Senator
Hawai’i State Capitol – Room 214
Honolulu 96813
Dear Senator Hooser,
I was disappointed at the letter I received from you regarding the Hawai‘i Superferry. It is unfortunate that your first contact with me about this issue comes so late in a comprehensive, multi-year process. Also, I would expect that as senator for Kaua‘i, you would use your position to facilitate a safe situation at Nawiliwili Harbor.
Following discussions with Coast Guard officials, I asked the Hawai‘i Superferry to suspend operations to Kaua‘i yesterday out of concern for public safety. We will proceed with the next step after the Circuit Court hearing on Maui today.
Senator, for more than three years Hawai‘i Superferry executives have worked closely with the state and the public to launch their business in a legal and acceptable manner. There have been 22 public hearings around the state, 10 more than required by the Legislature, including five on Kaua‘i, where Superferry and administration officials carefully listened to concerns of the public and informed attendees on the operation of this vessel.
Federal, state and county governments have carefully scrutinized the legal and environmental issues surrounding the Superferry, and concluded its operation to be allowable, as well as beneficial to our state’s residents and businesses. It is important to remember that the U.S. Maritime Administration, which provided a loan guarantee for construction of the Alakai, put as a condition that no EIS would be required.
The state Department of Transportation and Department of Agriculture have worked closely with Superferry officials for the past three years to address concerns over infrastructure and the environment. Necessary steps have been taken both by the company and by the state to address these concerns. These include invasive species, whale habitats and harbor safety.
No one is more concerned about the integrity and preservation of our environment than I am, as is reflected in my extensive record. I would not be silent if I had environmental concerns about the Superferry. As you know, this vessel is state-of-the-art, built with advanced technology aimed at negating harmful impacts on our state waters.
Let me also remind you that the state Legislature has debated and acted on this issue, including passing funding for harbor improvements and defeating a bill in committee that called for an environmental impact statement. And, we must remember that every poll, every survey, every bit of research points to the fact that the vast majority of the public supports the Superferry.
While I appreciate and welcome that you correspond with me on any issue, it would have been more effective for you to meet directly with me prior to this point in the process. I have come downstairs in the State Capitol at various times to speak with you, but you never requested a meeting with me, particularly on this issue.
As senator for Kaua‘i, I would expect you to be aware of planned protests such as those that have illegally interfered with the Hawai‘i Superferry. I would expect that you would have demonstrated your leadership on Kaua‘i by working with residents in your district to avert such a dangerous act of civil disobedience. The actions of protestors hurts Hawai‘i’s reputation of welcoming and supporting those who come to our shores, in addition to illegally interfering with a legitimate business operation. You had the firsthand opportunity on the pier to calm the crowd and appeal for a peaceful, non-disruptive approach.
It is unfortunate that now this situation is deteriorating into political positioning, as many media outlets have pointed out today. The Honolulu Advertiser went on to articulate that actions by those in the harbor were “…creating a dangerous environment (that) does nothing to further the cause, especially with an issue that demands calm, clarity — and closure.”
I am calling on you to go on the radio on Kaua‘i, and write a column in The Garden Island asking people to be calm and work through the system and proper channels.
Finally, 1 hope that in the future we can work together from the beginning of a project to ensure a fair and amicable resolution for all.
Sincerely,
Linda Lingle
