COM 0521.038 2002-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mfr or H Harry Kim : ~ Dixie Kaetsu E. Mayur Managing Director ~"~~.•;;•N;.+~ Peter L. Hendricks Deputy Managing Director ~uuntp of ~aiuai`i 25 Aupuni S[reey Room 215 Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4252 • (808) 961-8211 Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 (808)329-5226 • Fax (808)326-5663 r.; r`~ 0 May 25, 2004 ~ ~ ~ c The Honorable James Y. Arakaki, Chairman r_; ro and Members of the Hawaii County Council ~ Q= 25 Aupuni Street ~ Hilo, Hawaii 96720 ~ r~ - _ ~ Subject: Sort Station Facility Funding _e Dear Chairman Arakaki and Members of the Council: On May 19, the Council amended the proposed operating and capital budgets by removing all funding for the staffing, operations, and expansion of the planned East Hawaii Regional Sort Station and maintenance facility. Based on the discussion at the Council meeting, it appears that the Council believes there would be no adverse consequences to the Hilo Landfill closure date by delaying the implementation of the Sort Station. Please be aware that the projected closure date of the landfill is based on the assumption that the Sort Station will become operational during next fiscal year, and will increase the amount of material diverted from the landfill. If the Sort Station Facility is delayed, more material than projected will go into the landfill and it will probably reach capacity sooner than projected. In addition, if the landfill reaches capacity before the Sort Station is in operation, commercial rubbish haulers will be forced to truck their loads to Pu`uanahulu themselves, resulting in over 90 trucks daily driving from East Hawaii to the West Hawaii Landfill, instead of the 10 to 12 truckloads projected when the Sort Station's Reload Building is operational. The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) understands that the reasons for the budget cuts are: 1) to expedite the selection of the ultimate waste reduction technology and get it online quickly, without the intermediate step of an independent Sort Station Facility; and 2) to test the private sector's offers to finance the construction and operate the reload component of the facility, with funding through the commercial landfill tipping fees. The Council does not want to create new County positions and prefers private funding to construct and operate the facility. Our Proposal We do understand the Council's concern on these two points, and would like to offer what we believe is a compromise that would address some of the Council's concerns and still allow us to proceed immediately with the Sort Station so the life of the Hilo Landfill can be extended for the maximum possible period and no time is lost in bringing the Sort Station on line. We propose that the County proceed to construct the recycling and reload facility, but that it b Z • Comm. No. , I Ref. Ta PrereeMd Hawaii County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. R@f, pQ}@