Governor Lingle has accepted the Thirty Meter Telescope’s final environmental impact statement. However, the TMT opponents have a 60-day period to file a lawsuit contesting this document.
(Related items:
I received responses from Rep. Denny Coffman and the governors office regarding my inquiry about the initial bid advertisement for the future UH West Hawaii Campus.
“Hello Aaron:
Not sure about a previous email. Something could have gotten lost in the thousands of emails that came in during the closing weeks of the session.
Last month, the Governor released $6.7 million that remained from a $11.2 million dollar CIP allocation for projects at the Hawaii Community college Manono Campus and for the development of the new West Hawaii Education Center. To the best of my knowledge the University will use approximately $4.2 million to build the access road from Kaiminani. The remainder of the money will be spent at the Hilo campus. The University will be reimbursed by Palamanui for the cost of the road at some time in the future.
The CIP funds that the governor released would have lapsed this June 30th. The uncertainty of her actions caused us to include another $10 million dollar CIP requests for the Manono and West Hawaii Campuses. This is part of the FY11 budget and available for release after July 1, 2010. Money will be available to continue the building of the West Hawaii Community College. We just need the following:
1. Have a completed and finalized SEIS for the project.
2. Have the University to finalize the approval of the architectural plans.
3. Have the University to notify Hawaii County and Palamanui Developers that Campus planning is approved and conditions of the ordinance are hereby to be started by Palamanui.
4. Have Palamanui build the sewer treatment plant, water wells/distribution and their part of the 1st building.
5. Have the Governor to release additional funds to complete the 1st and 2nd buildings.
The above information is to the best of my knowledge. There are many players in this project and things are always changing.
Aloha,
Denny”
“Mr. Stene,
According to the Dept. of Budget and Finance, there have been appropriations approved by the Legislature as follows:
FY 2007 $ 2,000,000
FY 2009 $11,207,000
FY 2010 $10,000,000
The Governor has approved the release of the following:
$ 2,000,000 for plans/design for West HI Education Center (from FY 2007 apprn)
$ 987,000 for plans/design for East Hawaii Manono campus (Hawaii Community College) renovations (from FY 2009 apprn)
$6,720,000 for the roadway for the West HI Education Center ($4.5M) and construction phase of East Hawaii Manono campus ($2.2M) (from FY 2009 apprn)
The Governor proposed lapsing $3,500,000 of the FY 2009 appropriation, and the budget that was passed by the Legislature this session concurred with her proposal.
UH recently requested the release of the $10,000,000 appropriation ( FY 2010). The request is pending clarification by UH of a few items.
Hope this helps.
Russell”
The past legislative session was unkind to local businesses. Nevertheless, the damage could’ve been worse. The legislature could’ve raised the general excise tax and raided the counties share of the transient accommodation tax.
Lastly, Hawaiian Airlines was provisionally awarded one of the four Haneda Airport slots. This new flight will provide a boost Hawaii’s economy.
