Superferry EIS Would Have Saved Taxpayers Money

With the recent move afoot to gut Hawaii's environmental law (HRS 343) it might be instructive to see how much taxpayer money was squandered on the Superferry because Linda Lingle rammed the project through and tried to cheat the environmental protection law.

From the beginning, SaveKahuluiHarbor has maintained that the purpose of doing an EIS is to help refine the plan so that costly (in terms of dollars and environmental damage) mistakes are avoided.

Oh, how we wish Governor Lingle had listened to us.

But she didn't and here are taxpayer the costs:

$140,000,000 in federal MARAD loan guarantees which are at risk because the Superferry design can't stand up to our rough interisland channels and is in drydock...possibly forever.

$40,000,000 in state funds for the barges.. Lingle ordered the Chinese-made barges in an attempt to circumvent HRS 343 (and this expensive plan to break the law wasn't even successful when the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that an EIS was required.)

$10,000,000 to buy land to replace the dockspace taken over by Superferry from interisland freight. (Although we really shouldn't count this because interisland freight was way overdue for more space anyway and hopefully when the plug is pulled on Superferry, they'll get the HSF space back and the newly purchased space also.)

$UNKNOWN to repair repeated damage to the barge in Kahului Harbor from the swell about which SaveKahuluiHarbor and the harbor pilots warned DOT.

$UNKNOWN to repair damage to Kahului Pier 2 from the barge breaking loose and banging it.

$350,000/year to pay for tugs to hold the Superferry and barge against the Kahului harbor because they are so poorly designed and placed.

$100,000 in legal fees payable to Isaac Hall because Lingle ordered DOT not to comply with environmental law and the citizens had to sue to enforce the law.

$UNKNOWN (because they claim it is secret "Homland Security" information) but huge amount of money spent for the Coast guard, police, DLNR, and sheriff department to police a completely lawful protest on Maui and a civil disobedience action on Kaua'i.

$UNKNOWN (because they claim it is secret "Homeland Security" information) cost for ongoing Coastguard escort because of Superferry's precarious structural integrity.

$UNKNOWN cost from reduced efficiency of cargo handling due to the loss of the less than cargo load shed, cramped space and interference in Pier 2 freight operations by the Superferry.

Not to mention the frustration of our truck drivers trying to enter the Young Brothers gate on Wharf street while some clueless Superferry tourists tries to enter the wrong gate and parks, blocking traffic. I've seen this happen every time I've been down there on days HSF runs.

I hope the legislators are reading this. HRS 343 is a good law and should have been applied (and not circumvented via special legislation). If it had been applied, the taxpayers would have been saved many millions of dollars.

And what are we going to do with the Kahului Superferry barge now? That useless piece of junk is languishing at Pier 2B -- a freight pier which we need back in service. Who would want this barge? How can we recoup our money now that it is clearly useless for the Superferry?

Oh how I wish Lingle hadn't broken the law and cost us all this money and trouble!

Meanwhile three groups appealed the decision to lift the Superferry ban on the grounds that Act 2 (the Superferry Bailout Bill) was unconstitutional. Donations have poured in from neighbor islands to support this effort. Big Island, Kaua'i and Maui don't want Lingle to turn their islands into another 'Oahu.