Opinion ID: 6491122
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: hemp

Text: As previously stated, the authority behind the promulgation of HEMP is HRS chapter 205A (referred to as the “Coastal Zone Management Act”). See supra note 17. HRS § 205A-27 (2001), entitled “Designation of special management area authority,” provides that “[t]he [county planning commission] is designated the [SMA] authority and is authorized to carry out the objectives, policies and procedures of this part.” The policy behind SMAs is stated in HRS § 205A-21 (2001), which provides: The legislature finds that, special controls on developments within an area along the shoreline are necessary to avoid permanent losses of valuable resources and the foreclosure of management options, and to ensure the adequate access, by dedication or other means, to public owned or used beaches, recreation areas, and natural preserves is provided. The legislature finds and declares that it is the state policy to preserve, protect, and where possible, to restore the natural resources of the coastal zone of Hawai'i. Although section 19.1 of HEMP states that the purpose of its rules “is to set forth the procedures to be followed in processing [SMA] Use Permit applications for commercial boating within the Hanalei Estuary[,]” it is clear that HEMP, when placed in the context of the SMA Rules and Regulations of the County, of which HEMP is a part, was enacted with environmental concerns in mind. Thus, HEMP implements the policies behind SMAs as stated in HRS § 205A-21. Specifically, section 1.2 of the SMA Rules and Regulations of the County, which essentially reiterates the policies outlined in HRS § 205A-21, provides: It is the State policy to preserve, protect, and where possible, to restore the natural resources of the coastal zone of Hawafi. Therefore, special controls on development within an area along the shoreline are necessary to avoid permanent loss of valuable resources and the foreclosure of management options, and to insure that adequate public access is provided to public-owned or used beaches, recreation areas, and natural reserves, by dedication or other means. As such, it appears that HEMP was promulgated to create a permitting system for commercial boating in order to promote the preservation and protection of the natural resources of the Hanalei SMA and not to protect commercial boating operators from competitive injury. Moreover, section 13 of the SMA Rules and Regulations of the County specifically provides the following civil penalties: A. Any person who violates any provision of these Rules and Regulations shall be subject to civil fine not to exceed $10,000. In addition to any other penalties, any person who performs any development in violation of this part shall be subject to civil fine not to exceed $500 a day for each day in which such violation persists. B. Any person violating any provision of these Rules and Regulations may be enjoined by the Circuit Court of the State by mandatory or restraining order necessary or proper to effectuate the purposes of these Rules and Regulations in a suit brought by the Agenc y. [23] Thus, based on the foregoing, it appears that a private right of action for damages under HEMP was not contemplated in favor of commercial boating operators alleging injury to their business interests. See Med. Soc’y of New Jersey v. AmeriHealth HMO, Inc., 376 N.J.Super. 48, 868 A.2d 1162, 1168 (Ct. App.Div.2005) (stating that the court “generally do[es] not infer a private right of action where the statutory scheme contains civil penalty provisions”) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted); Stebbins v. Wells, 818 A.2d 711, 716 (R.I.2003) (stating that, where an enforcement provision in a statute contemplates a civil fine for violations of an act, rather than a private lawsuit for damages, no private right of action for damages was intended).