As more cruise ships visit Hawaii, eventually one will illegally pollute the ocean because "it's cheaper to do it that way," a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official warned yesterday. Isle EPA center
to fight pollutersBy Diana Leone
dleone@starbulletin.com"The state needs to have laws in place to deal with this," said Fred Burnside, EPA special agent in charge of the newly created Pacific Rim Environmental Resource Center.
The center, which will consist of Burnside and one assistant, was announced yesterday at a Waikiki conference for 65 local, state and federal officials on the investigating and prosecuting of environmental crimes.
The new center "is going to be an important resource for Hawaii, U.S. Pacific territories and Pacific nations in the fight against environmental crime," Gov. Linda Lingle said as she addressed the group at the Ilikai Hotel. Lingle said she agreed with an EPA official who told her that "you have to make an example of people who are flagrant abusers of the environment. You have to be able to hold them up and show what will happen because of their behavior."
Lingle emphasized that although there may be an economic effect of prosecuting environmental offenders, "I don't want to do what's right for the visitor industry. I want to do what's right for the people of Hawaii."
The new EPA center will train, consult with and coordinate among county police, state wildlife officers, hazardous materials responders, the Coast Guard and others who might respond to environmental crimes alongside the EPA, Burnside said.
It also can call in EPA experts from the mainland for help in environmental crimes.
Environmental crimes involve deliberate release of pollution, said EPA spokesman Dean Higuchi.
To report a suspected environmental crime, contact criminal investigator Donna Kahi Kahakui at 421-1406 or Burnside at 265-1260.
Environmental Protection Agency