Water

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

Submit Comments on the Anaergia MANA Draft EIS

(Read about this issue in our previous post here  and in a Maui News article about the recently held public meeting.) Anaergia/MANA has submitted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to the county, which must be approved in a final form before the project can move forward. The deadline to comment on this Draft EIS is Tuesday, February 6, 2018. We urge Sierra Club Maui members and supporters to submit comments on the Draft EIS. … 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

Call to stop HB2501 – water theft bill

ACTION ALERT! CALL YOUR SENATOR TO STOP HB 2501! Healoha Carmichael, a Native Hawaiian gatherer, stands in Honomanu Stream in East Maui near her home. The stream is completely dry due to Alexander and Baldwin’s water diversions. Carmichael and her ‘ohana face significant hardship in gathering food to feed their ‘ohana because of the diversions. Tell Your Senator To Ask Senator Jill Tokuda Not To Hear HB 2501! HERE’S WHY: HB 2501 DOES NOT ADDRESS … Read more

East Maui Water Under Renewed Attack by A&B

The people of East Maui have long awaited the full return of water to their streams. Almost all of their water has been taken by Alexander & Baldwin Company, which has been diverting millions of gallons of water every day for decades primarily for its commercial sugar production. We know there is more than enough water to ensure diversified agriculture (including hemp) on Maui, for healthy streams and a vibrant taro-growing community. There is more … Read more

“Show Me the Water” was thoroughly researched – doesn’t need changes

The Council’s Water Resources Committee (with Michelle Anderson as chair)  issued a report in 2007 summarizing the in depth consultation that resulted in the County’s Water Availability policy being adopted in December of 2007. Even a brief read of it illustrates the hard work, broad range of input and broad support this law had. In summary, the WR committee met at least 14 times between July 2005 and the end of 2007 to shape this … Read more