2023-08-07 Email Testimony Cory Harden Item #6 WDC Properties

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last-five-years/, December, 2019 In 2020, five people were injured in a hard BH landing in Puna. "Six people aboard a tour helicopter survived a hard landing shortly before noon Thursday in a Hawaii island lava field near Leilani Estates.... "Five of the six people were taken to the Hilo hospital with non-life-threatening injuries... "...Blue Hawaiian described the incident as a precautionary landing... "Shortly before the crash about 20 minutes into the tour, the helicopter, which was flying just above the trees, began spinning horizontally, with sparks and smoke coming from the tail, the witnesses said. The craft turned on its side and crashed into trees, they said. "...[a passenger]said she was hesitant to go on a helicopter tour, but the agent who booked the flight said Blue Hawaiian had a perfect safety record." https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/03/06/hawai i-news/pi lot-and-passengers-survive-big- island-helicopter-crash/March 6, 2020 NOISE Ever-increasing numbers of air tours are severely impacting people under flight paths. Tour helicopter trips in Hawai'i increased from about 6,000 in 2005 to about 8,000 in 2019. Tour Helicopter Crashes — And Flights — Have Escalated In Recent Years, by Allan Parachini. Civil Beat, January 23, 2020, https://www.civiIbeat.org/2020/01/tour-helicopter-crashes- and-fl ights-have-escalated-in-recent-years I attended a meeting on air tours on August 14, 2018, at Nani Mau Gardens in Hilo. Over 100 people attended, some so irate about overflights that they talked about shooting at the helicopters. Some residents are tormented by as many as 40 helicopters a day, starting as early as 7:30 a.m. and continuing to 6 p.m. The noise terrifies children and animals, sets off PTSD in war veterans, intrudes on sleep, interrupts conversations, and causes inescapable stress. On Hawai'i Island, during the eruption, the helicopters never let up—they kept flying over people who were losing their homes, their neighborhoods, and their livelihoods. Planning hasn't received any complaints about this heliport, but people are not likely to call Planning about helicopter noise. EXTENSIONS What are Blue Hawaiian's plans when development increases to where heliport impacts to the community are too severe, and there are no more extensions? "... it is recognized that surrounding lands are targeted for urban development, which could be severely impacted by the heliport." Planning Commission Findings,June 4, 2015, in Background Report, PDF p. 28 "...since the initial approval of SPP 538 in 1983, there have been six( 6) extension requests... If approved, this would amount to a total of seven( 7) extension requests. It should be noted that unlike many other time extension requests, this request is