Our Message regarding Hawaii Superferry
	Hui-R is a coalition of concerned individuals representing the diverse rainbow of our island community. We wish to engage, educate and inspire the public to join our efforts to resist the Hawaii Superferry. We are serving notice to our state government and Hawaii Superferry Inc. that due to a whole raft of social, cultural and environmental impacts being unaddressed, we have no confidence in this ferry operation, we are opposed to it, and we plan to stop it. It is our intention to build our community and utilize peaceful, nonviolent means to prohibit the unloading of the Hawaii Superferry on our beloved island of Kaua'i. Citizens of Kaua'i and other Neighbor Islands were never asked if we wanted a “super” ferry; rather, it is being imposed on us by outside interests. Concerned, we looked at other places where high speed inter-island ferries operate, such as Tahiti and the Canary Islands. The resulting impacts on those communities, and to marine wildlife, have been very negative. We spoke loud and clear on many occasions to request more information, but no information has been forthcoming to address our questions. Our requests for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) have been coldly refused, in spite of the requirements of state and federal law. Potential negative impacts have been “green-washed” with shallow and deceptive marketing promotions. These impacts have not been thoroughly examined and there are few - if any - steps being taken to mitigate them. Concerns about drug smuggling, increased crime, increased pressure on Neighbor Island infrastructure, and negative traffic and harbor impacts have not been adequately addressed nor resolved. Potential transfer of invasive species and inevitable mortal harm to endangered marine mammals and other aquatic wildlife are some of the obvious realities which are not being honestly dealt with. Rather than listening, the state government and Hawaii Superferry Inc. have attempted an end run around the formal concerns voiced by citizens and government representatives. They have ignored the reasonable requests of Kaua'i and the other Neighbor islands: Over 6,000 residents of Kaua'i (nearly 10% of the population) signed a petition to Governor Lingle requesting an EIS for the Hawaii Superferry. The Governor refused to meet with representatives from Kaua'i or to accept our petition. The County Councils of Kaua'i, Maui and the Big Island of Hawai’i have each passed resolutions opposing commencement of Hawaii Superferry operations on their shores until an EIS is prepared. The Hawaii State Senate passed a bill (SB1276) which required the State Department of Transportation to conduct an EIS for the Hawaii Superferry. However, after being lobbied by Hawaii Superferry, Inc., one member of the State House of Representatives, Transportation Committee Chair Joe Souki, refused to allow SB1276 a hearing in his committee. The bill died in this committee and was never voted on in the floor of the House. Currently there are several lawsuits pending against the Hawaii Superferry. More are expected. Due to growing traffic problems and poor land use planning, our islands need funding for local public transportation to improve the quality of life for people who live and work here. We don't need this not-so-super ferry!
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