21-04-28 EMC minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Status report on 2021 EMC Priorities – Each lead commissioner to provide brief report on assigned priorities. Chair Adams o DEM reports each month on progress on ISWMP goals, with specific emphasis on reducing and recycling organic wastes. EMC provides comment and support with Council. o DEM adopts an explicit philosophy of water resource management versus wastewater management and begins to reflect this in its planning and goals. (Example – Kealakehe WWTP). o Get review from the State attorney general regarding the Konno decision that seems to unnecessarily prevent cost-effective, creative solutions to problems. o Champion cross-agency and multiple stakeholder engagement in addressing life cycle issues of waste and wastewater management. Have joint commission meeting(s). Request presentations by other departments (e.g. HDOH, HDOT). (Co-lead Olson). o Become involved in the Mayor’s sustainability planning process. (Chair Adams said she would take a “pass” on her items at this time with the understanding she would have an opportunity to discuss them later in the agenda during the Director’s Report) Commissioner Burns o Enhance the availability and capacity of transfer stations to ensure residents can effectively manage waste and reduce the likelihood of waste being improperly or illegally disposed. Commissioner Burns met with Solid Waste Division Chief Greg Goodale and Recycling Coordinator George Hayducsko to discuss all the issues that the Commission tackles related to moving forward with solid waste and managing recycling. He wanted to get a clear picture of where the Commission can help by pursuing initiatives that are valuable. They were informative and supportive and willing to meet with commissioners to give insight. As someone who works with the state, there are a lot of complexities and it’s rarely a simple solution. There are usually a lot of reasons why things act as chaotically andcrazily as they seem. They also have a lot of initiatives that can help to free up funds to improve their program. On one level in these meetings we come down to a lack of a budget. One of the reasons the budget is limited is these programs come to an end. And there are stipulations with the way money can be moved from Oahu to Hawai‘i County. That often leads to scenarios where there may be an earmarked amount of funds but only a smaller portion of that makes it here for what can actually be utilized. He ran through a few bulleted items they brought up where we could provide legitimate support by writing letters to Council Members saying, we think this should be legislation, to allow them to make positive changes for our waste management and recycling. 1.Increasing greenwaste fees: There is a lot of work they have to do to combat the simple scenario of commercial operations putting greenwaste in the landfill. We all wish there is the possibility of downstream separation, but the reality is once a bin is contaminated, that bin ends up in the landfill. So there isn’t the money to 4