Review Of A&B Water Lease Ordered
The state Land Board issued the聽order Thursday directing Alexander & Baldwin to commence a聽review as the Hawaii Legislature considers related legislation.
Here’s an聽interestingly timed development regarding the dispute over Alexander & Baldwin and water rights in East Maui.
According to a press release late Thursday, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources has issued an order directing A&B聽and subsidiary聽East Maui Irrigation Company to “commence the environmental review process in support of A&B鈥檚 application for a lease of water from the license areas of Honomanu, Keana, Huelo and Nahiku.”
There is currently a bill before the Hawaii Legislature, , which you may have heard about. Here’s some information about that.
Meanwhile, the press release says this:
Within sixty (60) days A&B must provide the BLNR a scope of work for preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement. The scope of work should distinguish those portions that can be undertaken prior to the Commission on Water Resource Management鈥檚 (CWRM) final decision on petitions to amend interim instream flow standards (IIFS) in east Maui from those that require a decision from CWRM prior to completion. Accompanying the scope of work should be a tentative schedule for commencement and completion of the various portions of the scope of work.
The BLNR deferred decision making on Na Moku鈥檚 Motion to “Establish Scope of Reconvened Contested Case Proceedings,” says the press release.
I am quoting directly. It’s complicated, but very, very important.
