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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> IN SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION 432-06 <br /> CALLING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR SUPERFERRY <br /> Hawai'i County Council, Tuesday, October 31, 2006, 9 AM, Ben Franklin Bldg., Hilo <br /> Cory Harden, Box 10265, Hilo 96721 mh(a)interpac.net <br /> Mr. Hoffmann, thank you for introducing this resolution. Councilmembers, thanks to those who <br /> supported it in the subcommittee. Please continue to support it, and please consider three further <br /> actions. <br /> 1-Insist that Superferry and State Department of Transportation hold the maximum number of <br /> informational meetings required by the State Legislature, not the minimum. I believe 3 <br /> meetings on each island are required. But some people say one meeting anywhere on the island <br /> counts as one meeting, Others say three meetings--one each in Hilo, Waimea, and Kona--count <br /> as one. Please support the maximum number. <br /> 2-Support State legislation to require an EIS. State Senator Shan Tsutsui of Wailuku said he <br /> plans to introduce such legislation. And it looks like Senate Bill 1785, requiring an EIS, will be <br /> carried over from last year. When it came up last year, people who spoke in support included <br /> Maui's Mayor, Kauai County Council, Sierra Club, Matson, Horizon Lines, two orchid businesses, <br /> and 25 individuals. The only testifier who spoke against it was Superferry. <br /> 3-Consider filing a lawsuit. As you know, Maui County recently joined the Kahului Harbor <br /> Lawsuit. And as Mr. Ikeda said last time you considered this resolution, it's important to get the <br /> state to listen to Hawai'i County. Maui Tomorrow, one of the plaintiffs, said it may be helpful if <br /> affected parties from across the state join the suit. I believe it was relatively easy for Maui <br /> County because the lawyer for the original plaintiffs is doing most of the work, and they have an <br /> Environmental Assessment and Kahului Harbor Master Plan to work with. I don't know if Hawai'i <br /> County could join that lawsuit or if we would have to file a new one. <br /> A couple more comments: <br /> <br /> According to Wikipedia, when the Spirit of Ontario, one of the "success stories" Superferry used <br /> to cite, went bankrupt, it was arrested by the United States Marshals Service for resale to pay <br /> creditors. The vessel remained tied up at the Rochester ferry terminal throughout the fall and <br /> winter of 2004-2005. 1 don't know how that affected other harbor users. It finally sold in May 2006 <br /> at a $3 million loss. <br /> And as you know, Harbor Lynx, the other "success story," also went bankrupt. A news report says <br /> there was an arrest proceeding, and the ferry could not be moved until the claims against it <br /> were secured. This was in Canada. I don't know what the U.S. laws are. <br /> But after hearing these two stories, picture a bankrupt Superferry, plus the landing barge--550 <br /> feet, or one-tenth of a mile--tied up at a harbor while lawyers and government officials wrangle <br /> over legal issues. Where does all the freight and other harbor traffic go? <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Comm. No I0,L-6•' <br /> Ref. 7o Pteseet <br /> Ref. Date nCT^ 3_ 1 <br />