Land Links for Tuesday, June 22

Every day, I'm scouring the Internet for land use and environmental news from around the state and around the world that means something for us here in Hawaii. Noteworthy today: Lingle's potential veto list and a lawsuit for Maui's water.

• Gov. Lingle yesterday announced her list of 39 potential vetoes. None of the juiciest ones were related to land use or the environment, but there were a couple of lesser bills that could be vetoed:

• House Bill 921 was put on the list because it "complicates the transfer of 999-year homestead leases."
• House Bill 1015 could be vetoed because it "creates ambiguities in the law" related to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
• House Bill 2583 because it "violates the Hawaii State Constitution" by allowing the state to seize shark-feeding tour vessels.
• Senate Bill 2001 because it "revers(es) the state's commitments to job creating businesses and their investors" by repealing the High-Tech Tax Credit eight months early.
• Senate Bill 2951 because it "discourages the use of public land for valid and necessary public purposes" by providing compensation for agricultural lessees who are kicked out.

• Earthjustice filed a lawsuit yesterday challenging Alexander and Baldwin's plans to build a water treatment plant on Maui. They say the project's EIS failed to examine impacts on Na Wai Eha streams.

• A Pedestrian Master Plan is moving Kauai toward a safe walking future. The Garden Island has a neat picture with the story.

• Local organizations are joining national demonstrations supporting clean energy, sponsoring an event called Hands Across The Sand at Turtle Beach Saturday.

• The EPA will delay enforcement of a rule protecting children from exposure to lead dust from old paint. Sen. Jim Inhofe celebrates: "We won."

• Brazil wants to tighten restrictions on foreign ownership of farm land in an effort to increase the country's food security. Minister says he's not a xenophobe, but resources are finite.

• A land deal in which Egypt's largest developer wanted to build an exclusive community for 600,000 residents was annulled today. The court said the project was not open to public bidding. The government official who OK'd the deal is under investigation.

• Oil execs to Obama: Don't ban risky deepwater drilling!

Join the conversation on these and other stories.

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