2003-11-21 TCONTINENTAL - Laserfiche WebLink

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separately. However, you are dealing with public access points which are not totally part of the application but are relevant; and I think that the ash pile is just as relevant as the public access. I donÓt think the County should be encouraging development in that area until the coal ash pile problem is solved. As you know, this pile is 60- to 80,000 tons. From articles I heard in the Island Journal and Environment Hawaii, itÓs permitted only for 40,000 tons; and itÓs growing every day by 16- to 30 tons or more. ItÓs a lot of tons. The ash pile may have been contaminated with industrial chemicals in the past. Runoff from the pile is going into the ocean, which is in violation of the Hilo Coast Power Company discharge permit smother coral and bottom dwelling ocean creatures. The permit to store coal ash requires that the ash be removed, but very little of it has been removed. And the articles I read said that folks have been waiting on promises to recycle the ash for about five years now. And as time goes on it seems to be getting harder and harder to take responsibility for this ash pile. Hilo Coast Power Company refuse to talk to a reporter about Envi Agency fines for the ash pile. Hilo Coast Power Company is a subsidiary of C. Brewer. A reporter who tried to call Brewer Environmental Industries got a company called BEI Hawaii. They said they were no longer related to Brewer Environmental Industries and had no knowledge of the ash pile. Mauna Kea Agribusiness is another subsidiary of C. Brewer. It owns land under the ash pile but it is selling C. BrewerÓs land. Already proceeds from sale of the land may not be accessible to pay for problems. Continental Pacific says it owns the land under the ash but does not own the ash. Hawaiian Rainbow has a lease-to-purchase agreement on land which includes the ash pile, but it says it doesnÓt own the ash either. So everyone seems to be just running away from this ash pile. I think someone needs to take responsibility for it real soon before everyone disappears and the taxpayers are left holding the bag. Continental Pacific says the only way it could buy land in that area was to let the Hilo Coast Power Company keep dumping ash. So Continental Pacific di might be some problems with the pile. I donÓt think the County should encourage any further development in that area until the ash pile problem is solved. The County should require that a significant amount of ash be removed and a plan be in place for continued removal before it c SMA permit. This removal could be done by Continental Pacific o I think it needs to be dealt with. GALDONES:Commissioners, any question of Ms. Harden? Thank you, Ms. Harden. Tracey, could you please state your name, your residence address, and you may begin your testimony. 4