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Post by ferryfast admin on Oct 25, 2007 13:22:09 GMT -5
Thursday, October 25, 2007 - 7:37 AM HAST
Superferry hearings at State Capitol
Pacific Business News (Honolulu) www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2007/10/22/daily26.html
Separate House and Senate hearings are scheduled Thursday to consider legislation that would return Hawaii Superferry to service.
The House committees on transportation and finance will hear the measure at 9 a.m.
The Senate committees on judiciary and labor, transportation and international affairs, and energy and environment are expected to meet at 3 p.m.
The proposed measure, drafted with input from the Lingle administration, would require the Hawaii Department of Transportation to perform an environmental impact statement on improvements made to commercial harbors. The study was ordered by the Hawaii Supreme Court in late August.
The bill calls for allowing "operation of a large capacity ferry vessel" while the EIS is conducted.
The Legislature is considering placing restrictions on Superferry to minimize potential environmental damage. A ferry oversight task force may also be established.
Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle called the Legislature into special session Wednesday, primarily to address the Superferry matter.
The vessel Alakai's interisland operations have been suspended since late August because of court order and community protests.
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