Show up to testify against destroying the Kahului Surf Break for Cruise Ships & the Superferry
Governor's Advisory Council: Cameron Center, Wailuku 5 p.m. Thursday Jan. 17
DOT's meeting on Wednesday Jan 23 6:00pm Cameron Center
The 2030 Kahului Harbor plan is in the EIS process. DOT wants to create new docks for the Superferry and cruise ships on the west side of the harbor. The breakwater looks like it's right in the middle of the surf zone.
We've all been asking them to separate freight and passengers. But we hoped they'd separate them right out of the harbor! The EIS does not consider the no-cost alternative of simply telling the cruise ships and Superferry to go elsewhere.
So why is Lingle spending a third of a billion dollars on the cruise ships and Superferry? Why not just stop the cruise ship subsidy on dock fees, charge them what Alaska does on head tax and we could get rid of them? I can think of a lot better things we could do with $300,000,000!
As for docking the Superferry, it is currently running so far in the red with cars in the 20's and 30's that chances are it will be bankrupt before the new dock is even finished. And hey, didn't we just spend $40 million on the barges? Now we're just going to throw the barge away for the new dock? Talk about idiotic planning on DOT's part!
It comes down to a choice. Does Maui want the cruise ships or the surf break and adequate parking for our small boat ramp? I'm betting you'd rather have the surf break and parking.
If you want to save the Kahului surf break and protect the small boat ramp parking, show up at two meetings at the Cameron Center: The Governor's Advisory Council, 5 p.m. Thursday Jan. 17; and DOT's meeting on Wednesday Jan 23 6:00pm
The public has until Feb 6 to comment on the draft EIS.
Send comments to
Belt Collins Hawaii
2153 North King St. Suite 200
Honolulu, HI 96819-4554
808 521-5361
honolulu@beltcollins.com
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Testify! Two Meetings
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2 comments:
How did Thursday's meeting go? Was there a turn-out of Maui Unite? Cameron Center next, yea?
This is so new, the ability to speak together on a mutual concern of our ahina. Mahalo, Phillip
The chair of the Mayor's Advisory Council was very stern about limiting comments on the DOT plan. I got a chance to talk to Formby from DOT and it became clear that they are fast-tracking this with no real plan.
Dimensions, turning radii, etc. are mission and unknown. They're waiting for Army Corps of Engineers to fill in the missing design specs.
Since the design specs are crucial in determining whether this plan is even physically possible (and my guess it is NOT) this means that the Draft EIS is probably the most inadequate EIS they've ever put out.
This is what happens when you let a bunch of paid lobbiests from the cruise ships and superferry do engineering design. You get wishful thinking instead of reality.
Besides destroying the surf spot, and canoe race course, their plan will so severely impact the turning basin that vessel safety will become even more problematical than it is now...and Kahului Harbor has the reputation of the most constricted and white-knuckle harbor for pilots already.
Harbor users get a DOT presentation starting at 3:30 this Wed at Cameron Center (next to the Wailuku Police Station) and the public meeting is at 6pm.
I've made some signs. I think our best strategy is to advocate for expanding to the East (outside the existing harbor) This will affect the Pier 1 break but that is far less used than the Kahului Harbor breaks. It is a good move for Maui's future.
We should also advocate for simply changing operating procedures and telling passenger ships that they take second place to freight. That would have an immediate effect in uncongesting our harbor....and be free!
Since DOT never listens to us, my proposal is that we lobby the cruise ship passengers to pressure NCL to pressure DOT to choose the East expansion. First we do it real nicely with this handout.
Then if NCL doesn't pressure DOT (or is unsuccessful) we start informational picketing of their customers pointing out the outbreaks of illness, dumping of sewage, etc. etc. Hopefully, just knowing we plan to do this (are you reading this, NCL?) will enlist them onto our side.
I started handing out leaflets today. Anyone who can, should download and print the cruise ship leaflet and hand it out to cruise ship passengers whenever you get a spare 1/2 hour or so.
The reception I got was really good. Cruise ship passengers were positive and really wanted to help us.
See you all Wednesday!
Karen
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