Hanalei River Boatyard will remain closed to motorized tour boat operators, Mayor Bryan Baptiste told the Kaua‘i County Council yesterday.

“It is our intent to stick strongly and firmly on that point,” he said.

The mayor presented his rationale for the decision three days before the scheduled resumption of activities at the boatyard.

That edict followed a series of meetings between county, state and federal officials to determine who had authority to regulate operations at the boatyard.

The debate centered on a maze of permits and letters and lawsuits, some dating back almost 20 years. When the dust cleared, the county held the only permit process deemed appropriate to regulate the boatyard.

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(Source: Garden Island News)