03-18-2009, 05:05 AM
The issue over whales is only about 5% of the EIS. The primary portion (80 somewhat %) is about the harbor improvements for the Superferry and the impact of the area such as streets, traffic, etc. The rest is more along the lines of invasive species mitigation. Had the state not had to improve the harbor facility, the EIS would already had been completed.
The flip side is that if a new EIS needs to be done from scratch, the EIS can now include the negative economic impact on the community and potential harm to commerce if the ferry stopped running. Before they had to depend on pre ferry economics and info. Likewise instead of speculating on the enviromental imapct, they have actual info. No longer is it a guess if the HSF will harm whales, they have data to show they have not harmed whales. Also public opinion on Maui has shifted in favor of the ferry.
The flip side is that if a new EIS needs to be done from scratch, the EIS can now include the negative economic impact on the community and potential harm to commerce if the ferry stopped running. Before they had to depend on pre ferry economics and info. Likewise instead of speculating on the enviromental imapct, they have actual info. No longer is it a guess if the HSF will harm whales, they have data to show they have not harmed whales. Also public opinion on Maui has shifted in favor of the ferry.