If you're heading to Maui and you've been doing your homework, you might have stumbled across the 'EMI' name when researching the Hana Highway. You're probably wondering, "Who or what is EMI?"
Who or What is EMI?
EMI is the East Maui Irrigation company, and they have ditches running most of the way to Hana. Since they do divert water from various falls and occasionally prevent public access to certain locations, keep that in mind as you explore along the highway. Some waterfalls may be flowing at a lower than usual rate due to EMI diverting water from the stream above the falls.
Their tunnels and ditches feed the cane fields in central Maui. Occasionally they also will block public access to certain locations with “No Trespassing” signs. A few waterfalls along the Hana Highway are completely on or inside EMI areas. We have typically skipped mentioning these spots on our website and in our guidebooks due to the fact they are on private property and are not legally accessible (though we have noted the KAPU status of some of the better known locations).
Background Information on EMI
EMI is a subsidiary of Honolulu-based Alexander and Baldwin (A&B). A&B owns over 68,000 acres on Maui. For the past 120 years, EMI has owned and operated a ditch system that diverts surface water emanating in part from State lands in East Maui, and transports it to Central and Upcountry Maui for agricultural, domestic, and other purposes. A&B/EMI have obtained the water from the State lands pursuant to water leases at four license areas, identified as Honomanu, Huelo, Keanae, and Nahiku, which were issued by the State and its predecessors. Since the expiration of the original lease term for these four license areas, the State of Hawai`i, through the BLNR, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and BLNR and the DLNR [the State], has issued year-to-year revocable permits to A&B and EMI.
There are occasional legal 'battles' over these permits, the most recent we've noted being in 2006 and 2008. You can learn more about these legal proceedings by doing a quick Google search on EMI.
Our advice now and always has been to avoid EMI lands. The last we heard, EMI was not permitting anyone to hike on its property.
Hopefully by reading this you now have a better understanding of who EMI is and what they do on Maui.
