Cruise ship will stop at Moloka'i
By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer
A judge has refused to grant an injunction in time to stop the first cruise ship visit to Moloka'i planned later this month.
Environmental law firm Earthjustice — on behalf of Moloka'i community group Hui Ho'opakele 'Aina — argued in a lawsuit earlier this month that an environmental assessment of the potential impact of cruise ship visits is needed before they are allowed to stop at the island.
But Maui second circuit Judge Shackley Raffetto denied a motion to shorten the time before a hearing on the injunction, and denied a motion for a temporary restraining order last week. A hearing date has been set for Jan. 22.
As the island prepares to greet the ship Dec. 28, supporters estimate each cruise ship arrival will bring an economic impact of $131,000 — based on about 60 percent of the ship's passengers spending about $60 each — and say they are organizing a ho'olaule'a with entertainment and local crafts.
Meanwhile, opponents say they plan to chant and picket when the Holland America Line's 1,266-passenger Statendam arrives for its day-long stop.
"The court gave us a hearing a lot later than we asked it to," said Earthjustice attorney Isaac Moriwake. The Earthjustice suit argued that the state must conduct an environmental study because the cruise line will use state land when it anchors and ferries passengers.
State deputy attorney general Lane Ishida said he agrees with the judge's decision to deny the temporary restraining order.
"All I can say is the judge must have read their motion and wasn't persuaded by their argument," Ishida said. "We don't think the plaintiffs are reading the environmental law properly. If you read it the way they're reading it, anybody who uses the harbor would have to do an environmental study before using the harbor."
Holland America Line representatives did not comment yesterday.
Those opposing the cruise ship visits say they worry about the effects on the reef, marine ecosystem and infrastructure of the island of about 6,700 residents.
"The concerns are real and there's no avenues for us to take our concerns, so we're stuck and the only thing we can do as a community is protesting and confrontation," said Hui organizer Walter Ritte Jr. Hui is also circulating a petition against the cruise stops to Moloka'i residents.
Maria Holmes, an event coordinator with ho'olaule'a organizer molokaievents.com, said there is the risk that the ship will not be able to stop at Kaunakakai if bad weather causes rough waters in the channel between Lana'i and Moloka'i that make it unsafe for passengers to tender off the ship. "If it's not safe for their passengers or their ship, they will not come," she said. "This whole thing is based on the weather so we're praying for calm winds."
