Judge orders new environmental review for Turtle Bay project
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A judge has ruled that a proposed Ritz-Carlton resort at Turtle Bay cannot move forward without additional environmental review.
Read more Prosecutor details moments leading up to deadly 2025 Makaha shooting
The Environmental Court ruled the City and County of Honolulu must require a supplemental environmental impact statement before issuing building permits for the project at Kuilima on Oahu’s North Shore.
The court found the county improperly relied on a 13-year-old environmental review that did not account for updated information on endangered species and changing environmental conditions.
“The court’s ruling makes clear that the county can’t rely on an outdated environmental review to approve development at Kuilima,” said Maxx Phillips, Hawaii and Pacific Islands director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Hawai‘i’s environmental laws require decisions based on today’s science, not yesterday’s assumptions.”
Read more Halekauwila Street closures ahead as Skyline construction heads into Kakaako
, arguing the existing review failed to consider endangered Hawaiian yellow-faced bees, Hawaiian monk seals, Laysan albatrosses and nearby conservation lands.
“The court’s decision affirms that Hawai‘i’s bedrock environmental review laws are more than just a rubber-stamping paper exercise,” said Earthjustice attorney Dru Hara. “The county must engage with the community, ensure an honest assessment of impacts and take steps to minimize harm to the exceptional species that we now know are thriving on the Kuilima coastline.”
Post Comment