2019-07-24 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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Kucharski said the Planning Department is the county contact on sea level. They have done a report and should have a presentation available. Chair Bennett asked that Director Kucharski check with Planning about having a 1 presentation at the August meeting. Commissioner Gaffney asked whether it would be within their purview to suggest the county create a climate change adaption department, as Hawaiʻi County seems to be the only one that does not have an active group assigned to this. After discussion back and forth on whether the EMC could get involved in recommending this, Director Kucharski suggested they have Planning do a presentation so the commissioners can have a better idea of what is being done at the county level. It is his belief that Planning is doing a lot on this issue and is very aware of it. Chair Bennett asked Director Kucharski to have someone from Planning speak to them at the next meeting, and let them know if the answer is no. Director Kucharski said he would make the request. b. Discuss the problem with the term “Soil Aquifer Treatment Ponds” as proposed for Kona and discuss more appropriate terminology for the proposed ponds for the R-1 upgrade of the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant. Chair Bennett said he is concerned with the SAT term. SATs have been done at many places on the mainland, but not in Hawaiʻi, and the process planned here is not really an SAT process. The term conveys the wrong message to the public. He would like a term that is more descriptive of the process, such as nutrient removal pond or phosphorous adsorption pond. The motion that there is an aquifer that will take the water and sequester it is incorrect. He asked the director how difficult it would be to have the term changed. Director Kucharski said it was his understanding that the SAT system is an EPA term and an approved disposal technology defined by federal policy and process. It is a term of art and was not just picked out of the air. Chair Bennett further explained why he felt the SAT term is inappropriate for the project, and discussion was held back and forth about it. Ms. Mellon-Lacey said that sometimes terms are misnomers, but when it comes to regulation and funding, it may not be to the county’s advantage to try to change them. However, the public can be provided information on the SAT ponds and how they work without renaming them. Commissioner Burns said he agrees there is frustration with broad sweeping terminology because it does not always specifically apply, but it is often necessary in the realm of standardization and permitting guidelines. He asked Chair Bennett whether he objected to a SAT pond being used, or just wanted the term changed, and Chair Bennett’s 1 Note: The sea level presentation will instead be scheduled at the Commission’s September 25, 2019, meeting. 4