Environmental protection misapplied: alleged versus documented impacts of a deep ocean sewage outfall in Hawaii

A lawsuit was brought by the Sierra Club opposing the award to the City and County of Hawaii of a waiver to allow discharge of sewage without secondary treatment from the Honouliuli treatment plant through a deep ocean outfall. The City and County produced evidence that there was no significant risk to human health from bacterial or enterovirus infection. Their environmental monitoring showed no damage to marine organisms, although coral monitoring was meagre before the discharge began. The Sierra Club argued that the monitoring was inadequate to prove that no damage had occurred, although they had no evidence of any. The waiver was upheld. Environmental groups may damage their reputation if they tackle issues where they have no evidence of environmental harm.