Starting July 1, legal cases pertaining to certain environmental and public health laws will be heard by a special Environmental Court established by the 2014 Legislature.
The Outdoor Circle, which strongly advocated for the new court, contends it will improve state enforcement of environmental statutes.
"Chronic illegal dumping, improper harvesting of natural resources and contamination of streams and near-shore waters are common experiences in the Hawaiian islands," the group says on its website. "Establishment of the Environmental Court signals Hawaii’s renewed commitment and focus on protecting the environment."
Under the new system, violations of environmental laws will be heard by specially designated judges who will analyze alleged violations within the context of cumulative impacts upon the environment.
On Friday, the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of law will present a daylong symposium on how the court will function, and share experiences from similar courts in other countries.
Justice Swatanter Kumar, presiding judge of the National Green Tribunal of India, will offer a global context for the 350 environmental courts now operating in 41 countries. Hawaii’s Environmental Court is only the second in the United States, after Vermont’s. Speaking via video will be jurists from Brazil and Australia.
The symposium is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the law school, with a pau hana event sponsored by the Outdoor Circle.
Data on Hilo Bay currents available online
Visitors to the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) can now receive hourly updates on the direction and speed of ocean surface currents in Hilo Bay.
As noted by administrators of the interactive mapping platform, the new, real-time data set can be useful in narrowing parameters for search and rescue operations, forecasting the distribution of hazardous material spills, and monitoring water quality as well as for forecast modeling and navigation.
Jason Adolf, associate professor and chair of the Marine Science Department at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, said he was excited by the availability of the new data.
"It complements the PacIOOS wave buoy and water quality buoy off Hilo Harbor," Adolf said in a statement Friday. "Providing data on ocean and water conditions, including waves and surface currents, in near real-time improves decision-making for ocean users, managers and responders. With the new data set we can also develop educational activities for the marine science curriculum at UH-Hilo and raise public awareness in partnership with Mokupapapa Discovery Center."
Generated by land-based sensors, the surface current monitoring system used for Hilo Bay is part of a larger network supported by the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System.
Dog poisoning suspected in 3 cases
The Maui Humane Society is investigating three cases in which its officials suspect dogs were poisoned. The cases were all in the Maui Uplands neighborhood of Makawao.
One family noticed one of their dogs acting strangely the weekend of June 13-14, so they took it to a veterinarian, Humane Society officials said. The dog later died. Then the family’s other dog began showing the same symptoms and also died.
The vet suspects they suffered from antifreeze poisoning.
"Just a few days ago, we did receive reports that some people had found dog treats in their yard and fortunately their dogs had not had the opportunity to eat them yet," said Jerleen Bryant, Maui Humane Society CEO.
A third dog came down with the same symptoms: excessive thirst, urination, vomiting and lethargy, the Humane Society said.
Bryant urged dog owners not to leave the animals outside unattended.
Erosion control project almost done after delays
LIHUE » An erosion control project in Lihue is nearing completion after it was stalled for more than a year because a bird nesting colony was discovered.
Department of Transportation spokesman Tim Sakahara says crews resumed construction in February, according to the Garden Island newspaper. The work was aimed at preventing landfill waste from dropping into the ocean behind Lihue Airport.
Sakahara says the site was shut down in September 2013 when 276 wedgetailed shearwater bird burrows and nests were discovered on the north end of the work site.
The site was reconfigured to prevent disrupting the birds. Work is now 95 percent complete.
