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I Planning Committee, County Council, County of Hawaii, c/o Ms. Ashley Kierkiewicz, Chairperson SUBJECT: SIERRA CLUB LETTER RE KUMU HOU AT WAIKOLOA March 1, 2022 Page 2 of 3 The golf courses are, and will continue to be, irrigated by a combination of R-I treated wastewater and brackish groundwater. Mr.Nance concluded that the addition of Kumu Hou's treated wastewater to that mix will have two significant environmental benefits: • It will reduce the pumpage of brackish groundwater from the 'Anaeho'omalu Aquifer System by the amount of the treated wastewater addition. • Experience with golf courses throughout the State of Hawaii(State)has shown that the nutrients necessary for turf grass growth are far more efficiently taken up when provided in the irrigation water on a daily basis rather than in periodic fertilizer applications. Increasing the wastewater content in the irrigation water will translate into less fertilizer use and less leaching of nutrients into the groundwater moving beneath the golf course that ultimately discharges into the marine environment. 3. Use of underground injection wells by WWTP - The WWTP has one disposal well. It is operated under UIC Permit No. UH-2294 and the permittee is the Hawaii Water Service Company. Since the WWTP's conversion to R-1 treatment was completed in 2013, use of this well has been very infrequent. Essentially all of the treated wastewater is used for golf course irrigation. The addition of the Kumu Hou project will not change this in any way. The disposal well is currently operated in compliance with the permit requirements,including water quality analyses and annual status report testing. If and when the State DOH requires an NDPES permit for continued use of the disposal well,the Hawaii Water Service Company will obtain that permit. Affordable housing commitment—Waikoloa Beach Resort has been designated for economic production and resort use by the State and County for decades. The first State Land Use Commission decision and orders was granted in 1968; subsequently, the Resort has been granted County zoning, General Plan, and Special Management Area approvals, including last year's action by the Leeward Planning Commission. Waikoloa Beach Resort has served this mission,and created some 5,000 jobs that support local families along the way. It has done so with private infrastructure and utilities that were developed and continue to be maintained at no cost to the County,while still welcoming public ! access. These contributions would not have been possible had the development had a primary resident focus rather being a source of revenues attracted from outside of the local community. i 4 Nevertheless, and despite having already satisfied its regulatory requirements for affordable housing, WLC is very cognizant of today's need for more affordable housing solutions. In consideration,WLC has taken the unprecedented step of proposing affordable workforce rental homes on zoned property within the Resort. Instead of pursuing more income-producing activities on such lands, WLC has offered to provide a site for not less than 140 affordable workforce homes within the Resort,along with the necessary off-site infrastructure,at no cost to this affordable housing mission. WLC has consistently represented that this housing would be maintained as affordable for a minimum of 65 years,with 60%of units targeting households earning no more than 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and the balance targeting