State wants judge to let Superferry sail during review
KAHULUI » When environmentalists go into Maui Circuit Court today to ask for an injunction to suspend the Hawaii Superferry operations, the state hopes to have a word with Judge Joseph Cardoza before he makes his decision.
Deputy Attorney General Bill Wynhoff, who was on Maui yesterday to observe the Alakai coming into Kahului Harbor, said the state intends to conduct an environmental assessment ordered by Cardoza on Friday following a ruling the previous day by the Hawaii Supreme Court.
Wynhoff said the state wants to tell Cardoza that the Superferry should be allowed to operate during an environmental review process that could take three to six months, or longer if it is challenged.
The state official said he has talked to "a number of the judges already," including Cardoza, who have been involved with decisions regarding the Superferry. He said the state has told Cardoza it wants to provide its perspective on the situation.
"We think it's an important decision and that he needs to carefully consider his discretion," Wynhoff said.
"Based on the studies that we've done and we've seen, we don't believe that there's going to be harm either to the environment or to the traffic while the Superferry is going, and we believe there's going to be substantial and irreparable harm if the Superferry is stopped pending the environmental assessment."