The three-hour event, set to begin at 5 p.m., will start with short testimonies given by panel members. That will be followed by a question-and-answer session, during which the public and students are welcome to participate.

The panel will consist of Lance Holter, president of the Maui Sierra Club; Rob Parsons, conservation chair of the Maui Sierra Club; Irene Bowie, executive director of Maui Tomorrow; and Dick Mayer, a former economics and geography professor at Maui Community College.

Hawaii Superferry company officials have declined an invitation to participate, according to a news release issued yesterday. Superferry officials have said that after ongoing court hearings are completed, the company would consider sending a representative to a panel discussion held at a later date, according to the release.

The panel's intention is to educate the students of MCC and the Maui community about Hawaii Superferry by presenting a balanced discussion concerning the current issues, according to the release.

Joshua Cooper, executive director for the Hawaii Institute for Human Rights, will serve as the event's moderator.