Hawaii will establish the second statewide Environmental Court in the United States on Wednesday, the state Judiciary said Monday in a written statement.
Hawaii will establish the second statewide Environmental Court in the United States on Wednesday, the state Judiciary said Monday in a written statement.
Hawaii’s new Environmental Court will have broad jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases affecting the environment.
According to Hawaii Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, “The goal of the Environmental Court is to ensure the fair, consistent, and effective resolution of cases involving the environment.”
In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the creation of environmental courts and tribunals around the world. To date, 350 environmental courts of some kind are operating in 41 countries. The Vermont State Legislature founded America’s first environmental court in 1990. No other statewide environmental courts were formed in the U.S. until former Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed into law Act 218 last year.