| Hawaii Super Ferry On Again - 09/30/2005
Superferry wins court ruling The Sierra Club is expected to appeal a court ruling throwing out its challenge to Hawaii Superferry. The company said it can proceed with finalizing its financing after a Thursday ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Helen Gillmor against a demand that a full environmental impact report be required. If there is an appeal it will be to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Jeff Mikulina, who heads the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club, said Friday morning that an appeal is being considered. "The volunteer leaders are weighing the options," Mikulina said. "We strongly believe the public deserves an environmental review of the superferry project to ensure that the key impacts -- spread of invasives, whale collisions, and traffic -- are adequately addressed and mitigated." Hawaii Superferry executive John Garibaldi said the company is aware of concerns expressed by neighbor island officials and hopes to address them without the need for additional study. The company's first ferry, a massive multi-hulled vessel with specially reinforced decks that can handle trucks and even tanks, is under construction in Mobile, Ala., and due for delivery in about a year. An interisland ferry terminal has already been constructed in Honolulu harbor but similar infrastructure improvements need to be made in neighbor island ports before service can begin. Superferry might become a tourism attraction but is designed mainly for residents to be able to travel to other islands with their own cars, and for businesses to expand to other islands by driving their own trucks onto the ferry rather than making more expensive shipments by barge or air. The company, state officials and independent economists believe Superferry will encourage commerce between the islands and allow small businesses to expand incrementally, some to the point where they will become barge customers after all. It may also take land use pressure off Oahu if Oahu-based soldiers can do field training exercises on the Big Island because Superferry can transport the necessary vehicles there and back. Opposition is strongest on Maui, where the only decent shipping harbor, Kahului, is already jamming with container ships, barges and cruise ships.
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