Major Victory For Kauai Dairy Farm Opposition
On our Friday evening news Bridget Hammerquist, President of the Friends of Mahaulepu, was almost in tears as she announced their victorious decision in court against the Hawaii Dairy Farms. Hammerquist, along with hundreds of others, have been vehemently opposed to Hawaii Dairy Farms plans to have a Dairy 2.5 miles away from the Hyatt in Poipu Beach. Friday’s decision by Judge Leslie Kobayashi’s decision didn’t help the Dairy’s cause any.
On our Friday evening news Bridget Hammerquist, President of the Friends of Mahaulepu, was almost in tears as she announced their victorious decision in court against the Hawaii Dairy Farms. Hammerquist, along with hundreds of others, have been vehemently opposed to Hawaii Dairy Farms plans to have a Dairy 2.5 miles away from the Hyatt in Poipu Beach. Friday’s decision by Judge Leslie Kobayashi’s decision didn’t help the Dairy’s cause any.
Judge Kobayashi of the federal district court of Hawaii found that the Hawaii Dairy Farms began construction at the site of their proposed diary without obtaining the necessary permits. HDF (Hawaii Dairy Farms) began construction without securing the correct NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits the court found. HDF submitted a Notice of Intent to the state’s Department of Health on Sept. 9, 2014, indicating its plan to operate under a NPDES permit, according to the Thursday decision, however DOH (Department of Health) did not approve the permit. HDF reapplied on May 7, 2015 and the application is still pending, according to the decision. “Defendants engaged in activities pre and post-complaint that required an NPDES permit,” the decision states.
There are high levels of bacteria in the ocean off of Mahaulepu Beach and the Friends of Mahaulepu have filed a lawsuit against the Dairy naming their activities as being the source of the high bacteria levels. That trial date is set for February of 2017.
Thanks to Lynda Gill for this update!
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