Injection Wells

See the polluters Maui County has aligned themselves with

On July 19, 11 different groups filed friends of the court briefs in the Lahaina injection wells Supreme Court case. These groups include former EPA Administrators, 13 states, a Native American tribe, craft brewers, and clean water advocates. On the other side, Maui County has aligned themselves with Republican states and polluters across the country. The dirtiest industries like oil, gas, pipelines, mining, and factory farms are supporting Maui in hopes that they will be … Read more

Enviros Urge Justices To Uphold 9th Circ. Groundwater Ruling

By Juan Carlos Rodriguez Law360 (July 12, 2019, 10:52 PM EDT) — Green groups on Friday urged the U.S. Supreme Courtto uphold the Ninth Circuit’s holding that Clean Water Act permits may be required for pollution sources that discharge contaminants via groundwater. The Hawaii Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation and West Maui Preservation Association said Congress clearly intended the act to cover unpermitted pollution discharges that “actually and foreseeably” reach navigable surface waters. They said Maui County, … Read more

Stop pollution of Maui coral reefs

Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 2/27/2019  The Clean Water Act (CWA), which took shape during the early 1970s, bans the dumping of pollutants directly into surface waters, ranging from wetlands and rivers to oceans. Whether the federal law’s prohibition also should apply to indirect dumping that has the same effect is a matter expected to go before the nation’s highest court later this year.  At the center of the debate is Maui’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility, which injects … Read more

Lahaina Injection Wells Lawsuit: Enough Already! Just Fix the Problem

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser agrees – Enough already, Maui County! Stop trying to appeal the lawsuit and start fixing the problem!   Call/Email the Mayor & Maui Council Chair and say “ENOUGH ALREADY! Stop wasting the public’s money to defend illegal injection wells in West Maui. Spend the money instead on fixing the problem!” Mayor Alan Arakawa 270-7855 Mayors.Office@co.maui.hi.us Council Chair Mike White 270-5507 mike.white@mauicounty.us   Background: $3 million down the toilet – Enough Already! The County … Read more

Sierra Club stops injection wells in West Maui

Sierra Club Maui Group, EarthJustice, Hawai?i Wildlife Fund, Surfrider Foundation, and West Maui Preservation Association have reached a settlement with the County of Maui to treat, divert and reuse the waste water which the County currently injects into wells. Earlier in the year, a court ruled that the County of Maui was acting illegally by injecting R2 water into sewage injection wells. A dye study revealed the sewage was seeping into the ocean near the … Read more

MauiNow Reports Lahaina Waste Water Near Settlement

Wendy Osher is reporting via MauiNow that a settlement is near with the parties in the clean water complaint on the Lahaina  Sewage Injection wells. A trial that was scheduled to get underway this week has been moved to Nov. 17, 2015 to allow parties time to finalize and approve the settlement, said David Henkin, Staff Attorney Earthjustice. In January, a federal court ruled that illegal discharge of wastewater had occurred in violation of the … Read more

Tell the Maui County Council to fund water re-use infrastructure

Don’t waste water: invest in reuse. The Mayor’s budget had included $7,000,000 for piping to allow reclaimed water to be used in Lahaina for  irrigation where it is badly needed. The Council will vote May 26th on a budget that leaves out this appropriation and continues the practice of wasting this valuable resource by injecting it into the ocean where it leads to excessive seaweed growth that can smother the reefs. Please sign the petition … Read more