Laserfiche WebLink
amount of sewage increases at Waikoloa as the growth occurs at the development, the current <br />way that its being dealt with, it will cause increased nitrogen, increased phosphate, and it will be <br />degrading the coral reef environment off-shore. And of course were already seeing some of <br />those effects in Anaehoomalu Bay there. So I dont agree that adding this golf course is a <br />mitigative measure; I think its simply delaying and slowing down the process of environmental <br />degradation being caused by the way in which sewage is being handled. Again, a deep water <br />injection well is not a solution; its making its way up into the fresh water lens, and is being <br />carried out that, the nitrates and phosphates. <br />GRAHAM:Thank you. Mr. Flaherty, I dont mean to over-push on the same <br />matter. I voted against this extension last time, but we are really only talking about the golf <br />course here. And I certainly am in agreement with you that the whole resort is adding to <br />deterioration of water quality, which may turn into a real problem. However, we are talking <br />about the golf course. And so if you are telling me that all of the sewage from the rest of the <br />resortisgoingdownintoaninjectionwell,andthatsallworkingitswayrightintotheocean <br />anyway, it seems sort of reasonable and logical to think that if you have an area like a golf course <br />where you have living plants, and you put that same nutrient laden wastewater on top of those <br />plants, some of that wastewater € or a good deal of it € is going to be, the nutrient is going to be <br />absorbed into the plants as they grow. So presumably, it seems to me less will find its way into <br />the groundwater than if it all went into an injection well. Is there something wrong with my <br />reasoning there, or is there something else Im missing, or -? <br />FLAHERTY:I just ask you to, in your minds eye, look at the coastline of West <br />Hawaii, and see that is a barren landscape € its a desert, barren landscape. Its been converted <br />into the type of landscape that you just described, okay? That process is causing elevated nitrate <br />and phosphate levels in the near shore environment. So while I hear what you are saying € and I <br />apologize, yes, this is about the golf course and Ill stick to that particular € but again you are <br />converting a barren landscape into a lush landscape, and the outflow beneath that is going to be -, <br />the nitrate and phosphate that come out of that lush landscape is going to be far more than the <br />current barren landscape that you see. <br />GRAHAM:Thank you. Any other questions from Commissioners? <br />Commissioner Watanabe, do you have a question for the testifier here? <br />WATANABE:I think Ill refrain from the sarcasm. So if we are ready, Im ready <br />to, you know -. <br />GRAHAM:No, we are still in the process here. No other questions for <br />Mr. Flaherty? Thank you for your testimony. <br />FLAHERTY:Thank you. <br />GRAHAM:After our public testimony, generally we return to the applicants <br />and applicants representatives, and if they have any further comments to make before we go into <br />our action session. Mr. Yuen, would you care to say anything further at this point? <br />W. YUEN:I think that the -. Well, a couple of things: First of all, the report <br />by Dr. Brock acknowledges that there were elevated nutrients at different times over the course <br />13EXHIBIT B <br /> <br />