Former EPA officials back greens in Clean Water Act case

Maui County, Hawaii, wastewater treatment facilities at issue in Supreme Court litigation. Warren Gretz/NREL Ellen M. Gilmer, E&E News reporter Greenwire: Monday, July 22, 2019 States, tribes, scientists and former EPA leaders lent their support last week to environmentalists engaged in a high-stakes Supreme Court battle over federal water protections. In a series of amicus briefs submitted Friday, the supporters argued that the Clean Water Act’s permitting program applies to pollution that takes an indirect … 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

#OxybenzoneFreeMaui Bill Passed 1st Reading

Update: The #OxybenzoneFreeMaui bill has passed first reading! On Friday, December 1st, 2017, the Maui County Council listened to testimony for about 10 hours on multiple issues, including the oxybenzone bill, the sand mining bill (both up for 1st reading), and a new legislative item introduced by Council Chair Mike White regarding giving council members the ability to fire another council member’s executive assistant with a simple majority vote. The meeting was scheduled to reconvene on … Read more

Learn About Toxic Sunscreen Chemicals

    Come this Monday, November 13th, 2017 at 1:30 to Maui Council Chambers (200 S. High St. 8th floor) to learn about the toxic sunscreen chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are killing our reefs. Dr. Craig Downs and Joe DiNardo will be giving presentations on the science behind these killer chemicals. Agenda: https://mauicounty.legistar.com/View.ashx… #oxybenzonefreemaui #killersunscreen #notreefsafe County of Maui#coralreef