BUSINESS BRIEFS
PUC hearing on sewer fees Monday
Advertiser Staff
The Public Utilities Commission will hold a second hearing next week on a proposal to raise sewer rates for East Honolulu residents.
The hearing is set for 7 p.m. Monday at the Haha'ione Elementary School cafeteria, 595 Pepe'ekeo St.
Hawai'i-American Water Co. provides the sewer service to more than 30,000 people in Hawai'i Kai and part of Kuli'ou'ou and is seeking rate increases of about 16.7 percent. If the rates are approved by the PUC, the monthly sewer bill for single-family homes would increase over two years from $54.55 to $63.65. The monthly bill for multi-family residences would increase from $45.75 to $53.40 per month.
The PUC held a hearing on the plan in January, but scheduled next week's meeting because many residents complained they were not notified of the earlier meeting. About 50 people turned out for the January hearing and many opposed the proposed increases, which would be the third since 2004.
Copies of the proposed increases are available at Hawai'i-American Water's office at 6700 Kalanian'aole Highway or at www.hawaterco.com.
MESA AIR GROUP STOCK DOWN TO 96¢
The parent of go! airlines saw its stock prices fall 27.3 percent yesterday.
Shares of Mesa Air Group closed at 96 cents on the Nasdaq market yesterday, down 36 cents.
Yesterday's closing price was Mesa's lowest in about 19 years.
On Tuesday, Mesa said it is seeking shareholder approval to issue up to $37.8 million in new common stock to pay off its bondholders. The Phoenix-based company said it may default on its bonds after Delta Air Lines said it is canceling a $20 million-a-month contract.
ALOHA SUED OVER NOTIFICATION TIMING
Aloha Airgroup Inc., the parent company of bankrupt Aloha Airlines, is being sued for back wages by two ex-workers who claim about 1,900 employees were fired without federally required warning, Bloomberg News reported.
Aloha violated the so-called War Act by failing to give workers a 60-day written notice, Dayna Stoker and Charles Oh claim in the suit that was filed Tuesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Honolulu. Bloomberg said the lawsuit is seeking class-action status to represent all affected employees.
Aloha shut down its passenger flight operations on March 31. The airline is trying to sell its 200-worker cargo division for $13 million or more.
EPA OFFERS $5M TO CUT DIESEL FUMES
The Environmental Protection Agency announced a regional competition for more than $5 million in grants available to agencies or organizations that reduce diesel emissions.
The EPA is encouraging all qualified applicants to submit proposals for funding now as part of an initiative to significantly reduce diesel emissions in Hawai'i, Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and the U.S. Pacific Islands.
"We have to accelerate air quality improvements," said Deborah Jordan, Air Division director for the U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "One of the most cost-effective ways to do that is by modernizing our legacy diesel fleet. Through this initiative, EPA hopes to deploy the latest and cleanest technologies to reduce emissions from diesel engines, which will result in significant benefits to public health."
Through the National Clean Diesel Campaign, the EPA is awarding $49.2 million in grants nationwide, to assist its eligible partners in building diesel emissions reduction programs across the country.
