Hawaii’s Board of Land and Natural Resources unanimously rejected a proposal to auction a 30-year East Maui commercial water license, instead advancing a court-ordered contested-case hearing over permits held by Mahi Pono and East Maui Irrigation Co.
- The board unanimously denied putting a 30-year East Maui water license up for public auction following hours of testimony from residents, farmers, and Native Hawaiian advocates.
- The board separately voted to move forward with a court-ordered contested-case hearing regarding revocable water permits held by Mahi Pono and East Maui Irrigation Co.
- Mayor Bissen opposed the auction and urged the board to honor a 2022 vote in which 64% of Maui County voters supported creating the East Maui Water Authority.
- Maui County had formally requested a state set-aside of the East Maui water system for county stewardship, but that request was denied without a full hearing.
- Long-term control of East Maui’s diverted water supply remains unresolved, with the contested-case process now the next step.
Source: Maui Now
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