Big Isle residents voice opinions on SuperferryBy Rod Thompson, Star Bulletin, 25 March 2008Concerns for whales resurface at a hearing for an environmental impact statementHILO » With the Hawaii Superferry not scheduled to come to the west side of the Big Island until 2009 and not to the Hilo side at all, only 15 people commented yesterday at a public meeting on an environmental study for the vessel.Five people spoke at an afternoon session at the Hilo High School Auditorium on topics that should be considered in the environmental impact statement, followed by 10 people at the evening session.Meeting facilitator Mike Mitrano said the meeting format did not call for any official to answer questions from the public. But he told the Star-Bulletin that environmental study consultant Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd. would use all questions and comments to identify issues that need to be considered.John Ota was not satisfied by company statements that two observers would be posted as whale lookouts on voyages year-round."The only time any observer is going to see a whale is when the tail sticks up above the surface," he said.A company statement said the ferry will lower its speed from its normal 35 knots when it encounters groups of whales.Jasper Moore, a candidate for Big Island mayor, said creating a new pier at Kawaihae Harbor is "unacceptable." The money would be better spent on health care, he said.Krisztina Samu commented that company official Terry O'Halloran had already admitted that on three occasions the vessel Alakai had come within 100 meters -- about 110 yards -- of whales.O'Halloran said that is true, but whenever such close approaches occur, the ship takes evasive action.A company statement said the company is committed to staying 500 meters, or 550 yards, away from whales and will report any instance of a close approach to the state.Peace activist Jim Albertini asked about protection of natural resources, such as off-island shipment of hapuu ferns cut from native forests.The company says it worked for more than a year with the state Department of Agriculture to create policies that are stricter than the law requires.The company will be the only one in interisland transportation that will do an agricultural screening of every passenger, the company said.Al Beamer said he was "strongly in favor" of the Superferry to help farmers get products to market in Honolulu...This video investigates the potential negative effects of the coming Hawaii Superferry on Endangered Humpback whales in Hawaiian waters. ... all » The humpback whale were listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act, and are considered “depleted” under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Humpback whales are the fourth most numerically depleted large cetacean worldwide.The Hawaii Superferry will be far more of a threat to whales then is generally realized and government officials should take a very close look before permitting it to go into operation. Specifically, the Hawaii Superferry will be a threat to mother and baby Humpback whales because it’s two Pontoons extend down to at least 14 feet. Mother and baby whales swim just below the surface. About 400 mother and baby whales currently winter in Hawaiian waters. The use of radar and other technologies will be only marginally effective because they cannot detect whales beneath the surface and only sonar can “see” underwater and sonar will not be useful on the Superferry.The Superferry can do almost 43 miles/hour which means it can cover over 2 football fields in 10 seconds. Other high speed ferries – built by the same company – have recently killed many Sperm whales in the Canary Islands.
Mahalo: Nini'ane and Vance... what a goddamned circusII
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