Keawakapu artificial reef off Maui, damage.

[CaptFlyingDutchman]

State board to take up issue of coral reef damage




State board to take up issue of coral reef damage - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

 

[Lisianski]

DLNR is recommending a fine of about $840,000. May seem like a lot - but given the amount of damage that was done to all of the "low value" coral on the reef - it doesn't seem to be all that much.

http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/chair/meeting/submittals/101112/F-DAR-Submittals-F1.pdf

Here is the weird thing about this. Apparently DLNR tried to settle the case with the barge company. Barge company would not agree. So DLNR is asking their Board to impose a fine ($840,000) and then tells the Board that they expect the barge company to contest imposition of the fine. Why wouldn't they contest it - the worst thing that could happen to them is that they pay a fine of $840K. If you read the report - it is pretty clear that the fine could be a lot higher. Fines are agreed to before a trial to encourage a settlement - where the bad guy knows that if he loses at trial it could be a lot worse. Seems to me that they are putting the cart before the horse here.

 

[Lisianski]

Usually BLNR meetings are held on Oahu in the DLNR building. This time it is apparently being held on Maui this Friday. This is when DLNR will make their fine recommendation to the BLNR.

Spread the word to folks that might be interested in this - or would want to share their thoughts with the BLNR. Their report explaining how they arrived at the amount is explained in the report. Here is the link again.

http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/chair/meeting/submittals/101112/F-DAR-Submittals-F1.pdf

If you read it you will see that they apparently don't think much of the "ecological value" the Keawakapu reef. They do say that the maximum fine could be over 4 million dollars. Also - unsurprisingly it doesn't look like they intend to do anything to mitigate the damage to the reef. They say the structures are "stable" now. What would the money collected from the fine actually be used for?

AGENDA

FOR THE MEETING OF THE

BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES




DATE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010

TIME: 9:00 A.M.

PLACE: COUNTY OF MAUI

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING

KALANA PAKUI BUILDING

250 SOUTH HIGH STREET

CONFERENCE ROOM, 1st FLOOR

WAILUKU, HAWAII 96793

 

[Shaka Doug]

I told them at he last meeting that I would personally clean it up for only $200,000... They really should take me more seriously as I am serious about it. I am disgusted that they think it is stable now. Give me a break!!!

 

[KrisB]

Settlement reached over reef damage - Mauinews.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Visitor's Information - The Maui News

It's settled. $396k -- one third barge operator, two-thirds DAR.