Press Releases
Jaguar photo by Tierra Curry/Center for Biological Diversity.
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Viewing recent news releases in the Hawaii Region program.
Hawai‘i Federal Court Nullifies Fisheries Service Letter Allowing Destructive Fishing in Pacific National Monument
HONOLULU— The federal district court in Honolulu ruled late Friday that commercial fishing cannot legally continue in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, which is located south and southwest of Hawai‘i.
Read more.Five Indo-Pacific Coral Species Receive Critical Habitat Protections
WASHINGTON— The National Marine Fisheries Service announced critical habitat designations today for five threatened coral species living in the Pacific Ocean. The agency’s final rule protects 92 square miles of marine habitat around American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Pacific Remote Island Areas and Hawaiʻi.
Read more.Hawai‘i Land Board Rejects Army’s Environmental Report for O‘ahu Training Lands
HONOLULU— The Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources today voted to reject the U.S. Army’s final environmental impact statement for its proposed long-term retention of nearly 6,300 acres of state land at Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa-Poamoho and Mākua Military Reservation on O‘ahu.
Read more.Trump’s Plan to Land SpaceX Rockets in Pacific Wildlife Refuge Spurs Lawsuit
HONOLULU— The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the U.S. Air Force and Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to release public records detailing the Trump administration’s plans to build landing pads for SpaceX rockets in sensitive marine habitat in the Pacific Ocean.
Read more.Lawsuit Challenges Trump Order Opening Pacific Monument to Commercial Fishing
HONOLULU— Kāpaʻa, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i and the Center for Biological Diversity, represented by Earthjustice, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration today challenging its illegal actions to open the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.
Read more.Foreclosure Halts Controversial Punaluʻu Resort Development
HILO, Hawai‘i— The future of Punaluʻu, one of the most biologically rich and culturally revered places in Kaʻū, is now uncertain, but a proposed resort development that threatened its integrity may be off the table for good.
Read more.Hawai‘i Rejects Army’s Proposal to Continue Bombing Sacred Pōhakuloa
HONOLULU— In a powerful defense of Hawai‘i’s environment, cultural heritage, Hawaiian rights and public lands, the state’s Board of Land and Natural Resources voted today to reject the U.S. Army’s final environmental impact statement for its proposed “retention” of up to 22,750 acres of state-owned land it currently leases at Pōhakuloa Training Area on Hawai‘i Island.
Read more.Agreement Reached With Maui Grand Wailea Resort to Protect Endangered Seabirds From Lights
HONOLULU— Conservation groups have reached an agreement with the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui to protect endangered Hawaiian petrels while the resort seeks the required permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Read more.Marconi Point Agreement Preserves Habitat, Protects Wildlife
HONOLULU— The Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources today approved a landmark agreement that will protect habitat and imperiled species at the Marconi Point Condominium property on O‘ahu’s North Shore.
Read more.Commission to Decide Fate of Punalu‘u Development on Monday
HILO, Hawai‘i— The Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and the Center for Biological Diversity will appear before the Windward Planning Commission on Monday to urge commissioners to protect the natural resources, cultural practices and pristine landscape of the wahi pana of Punaluʻu, Kaʻū, from a 147-acre development.
Read more.Second Lawsuit Filed to Protect Hawaiian Petrels From Dangerous Lighting at Maui’s Grand Wailea Resort
HONOLULU— A coalition of conservation groups today filed a second lawsuit to protect Hawaiian petrels (ʻuaʻu) from dangerous lights used by the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui. Hawaiian petrels are protected as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.
Read more.Oʻahu Community Leaders File Petition to Protect Coalition Name From Developers
HONOLULU— The Center for Biological Diversity and community leaders filed a petition this week with the Hawai‘i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to protect their coalition’s original name from being hijacked by developers.
Read more.Critical Habitat Protected for 12 Endangered Species on Hawai‘i’s Big Island
HONOLULU— In response to litigation from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today designated 119,326 acres as protected critical habitat for 11 plants and a Hawaiian picture-wing fly on the island of Hawai‘i. The protected habitat is in 21 distinct areas stretching from the coast through dry forest and grasslands to rainforests on the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
Read more.Legal Intervention Seeks to Protect Hawaiʻi’s Punaluʻu Beach From Development
PUNALUʻU, Hawaiʻi— The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a legal intervention opposing a proposed resort development on one of Hawaiʻi’s most renowned black sand beaches that would harm local residents and jeopardize threatened and endangered species, including green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals.
Read more.Legal Victory for Imperiled Hawaiian Honeycreepers
HONOLULU— A judge has ruled in favor of conservation groups and the state of Hawai‘i, allowing a project to suppress mosquitos to protect imperiled Hawaiian honeycreepers on east Maui to proceed. The judge found that an environmental assessment was sufficient and a finding of no significant impact correctly issued for the project.
Read more.Investigation Urged Into Albatross Killing on North Shore of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
HONOLULU— The Center for Biological Diversity, Ko‘olau Waialua Alliance, Mālama Marconi Coalition and Conservation Council for Hawai‘i sent a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today urging it to investigate the death of a Laysan albatross found entangled in a fence and bleeding from the mouth last month.
Read more.Hawai‘i Needs Rules to Prevent Destructive, Invasive Pests From Spreading Across State, Letter Says
HONOLULU— Two dozen community organizations today urged Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green to direct the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture to amend state rules and prevent the spread of destructive invasive species. These species include little fire ants, coconut rhinoceros beetles, hala scale and other pests that could wreak havoc on Hawaiʻi’s food security, environment, cultural practices, economy and quality of life.
Read more.Critical Habitat Protection Proposed for Green Sea Turtles
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— In response to a legal agreement with environmental groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries today proposed to designate roughly 8,850 acres of beaches and nearly 428,000 square miles of coastal waters as protected critical habitat for six distinct populations of green sea turtles.
Read more.Lawsuit Seeks to Protect Guam’s Endangered Species From Construction, Operation of U.S. Marine Corp Base
HAGÅTÑA, Guam — The Center for Biological Diversity and Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian filed a lawsuit today against the U.S. Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect endangered species from the construction and operation of Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz in Guam.
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