TRN/FIN welcome testifiers, including Gov. Lingle

The House Transportation/Finance committee joint hearing on the Senate version of the Superferry legislation (SB1, SD1) is currently underway in the Capitol auditorium.

Gov. Lingle spoke briefly and will remain to answer questions from committee members starting at 3 p.m., along with other testifiers including Superferry CEO John Garibaldi and First Deputy Attorney General Lisa M. Ginoza.

Earlier in the day, Finance Chair Marcus Oshiro sent a letter to Gov. Lingle requesting her presence at the hearing, especially to respond to testifiers' concerns last week about her willingness and ability to establish conditions and protocols "to mitigate significant environmental effects" of the ferry, as is stated in the current legislation.

Kauai County Council member JoAnn Yukimura also testified, expressing her concerns that the Superferry would threaten Hawaii's environment statewide and could change the character of the neighbor islands. Yukimura also offered her support for elements of the amendment proposed by Rep. Hermina Morita on Friday which included reducing the ferry's speed in waters of a certain depth and requiring the vessel to do an undercarriage wash before sailing.

Watch the hearing live on 'Olelo, Ch. 49.