Hawaii Superferry on its inaugural commercial sail to Maui in August.

Fate of Superferry Still With Court

The possibility of a special legislative session to resolve the issues surrounding the Hawaii Superferry's ability to oper- ate while a lengthy court ordered environmental assess- ment is done may still be on the table pending a decision by the court case on Maui.

Hawaii Superferry service was stopped in late August by the Hawaii State Supreme Court and a Maui Circuit Court ruling. Service to the island of Kauai was also halted after protesters stopped the ferry from entering the harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard was inadequately prepared for the pro- tests on the first 2 days of Superferry operations.

The State and the Coast Guard beefed up security and en- forcement plans around the harbor if and when Superferry resumes service. Governor Linda Lingle went to Kauai last month to outline the state's plan to ensure safety for the ferry, its customers as well as the protesters. She was greeted with loud, vocal opposition in Lihue.

Hawaii Superferry voluntarily continued the suspension of Kauai service until after legal matters are settled. A poll conducted by QMark Research & Polling found the following from their sample of 300 telephone interviews: 92% of registered voters are familiar with the Superferry issues. 86% of them have a favorable perception, while only 9% were unfavorable. When asked "if a judge requires an EIS, do you support a special legislative session to permit Hawaii Superferry to continue to operate?" The an- swers were not surprising:

72% said YES
19% said NO and 9% did not know.

Many questions are on the minds of the public regarding the Hawaii Superferry including whether or not there will be a special session.