2024-09-02 Rebecca Melendez Testimony-2

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The Chesapeake Bay has a foundation that is trying to save their bay due to runoff pollution that was caused by developments. Chesapeake Bay is a lot bigger than Keauhou Bay. If it's being drastically hurt by runoff water from developments, Keauhou Bay waters won't stand a chance if development above the bay is allowed. Keauhou Bay is a much smaller ecosystem. This Article is by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Saving a National Treasure states, "...runoff is a significant source of harmful nitrogen pollution that continues to grow… As rainwater and snowmelt run off our streets, parking lots, lawns, and other surfaces, they pick up pet waste, pesticides, fertilizer, oil, and other contaminants. If the draining water doesn’t evaporate or soak into the ground where it can be filtered, it flushes straight into local creeks, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay, adversely affecting water quality and aquatic life. Only 10 to 20 percent of rain that falls in forests, fields, and other natural areas runs off, with the rest absorbed by soil and plants, where it is filtered before reaching aquifers or local waterways. (Right now Keauhou Bay has a lot of trees and is very natural, this is what helps stop runoff.) By contrast, close to 100 percent of the rain that falls on concrete and other hard surfaces produces runoff. One inch of rain falling on an acre of hardened surface produces 27,000 gallons of runoff. Stormwater runoff pollution threatens Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams…Polluted runoff is one of the most harmful sources of pollution to the Bay and its waters. And much of it starts right in the urban and suburban neighborhoods where we live." https://www.cbf.org/issues/polluted- runoff/index.html#:~:text=Besides%20carrying%20pollutants%20that%20harm,them%20are%20placed%20in%20jeopardy. If that is what runoff is doing to the Chesapeake Bay, the effects of runoff will be even more devastating to Keauhou Bay due to its size and fragility. MANTA RAY HABITAT, CORAL REEF BLEACHING, & MARINE LIFE ~ THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE OCEAN Are there any reports in this EIS about what the impact to the coral, marine life, plankton especially zooplankton will be because of this development? The studies below show that developments kill coral, and marine life. Zooplankton are part of this marine life and they are also killed and negatively affected. Zooplankton are food for manta rays. Manta rays are in Punalu'u. Allowing this bay developed will also be a death sentence for many types of marine life including planktons. There is NO WAY to stop this from happening due to the fact that polluted runoff rain water from developments can't be fully stopped. This has been shown to happen in ALL coastal developments. Please read the Scientific articles below. It's Been Proven Developments Severely Pollute Nearby Waters Article by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, AKA NOAA, "Coral Bleaching is occurring more frequently in Hawai'i. Across the Hawaiian Archipelago, coral bleaching has increased in frequency and severity since 1996. The last major bleaching event in 2014-2015 had catastrophic Impacts state-wide… This was the third major bleaching episode in Hawaii over the last 6 years. The frequency of these events is unprecedented in the archipelago. NOAA scientists and partners have determined that the key drivers of the bleaching were environmental factors (such as heat stress, depth, and surface light) and human impacts (sewage effluent and urban run- off). " https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/cautionary-tale-2019-coral-bleaching-event-hawaii#:~:text=Coral%20Bleaching%20Is%20Occurring%20more,had%20catastrophic%20impacts%20state%2Dwide. This article is by the Coral Reef Alliance here in Hawai'i. "An ecosystem under threat Hawaii’s reefs face major global and local threats including climate change, overfishing, and sediment and nutrient pollution caused by sewage and stormwater runoff... When it rains, flash floods carry stormwater and large amounts of sediment downstream to the ocean. Just offshore, once-thriving coral reefs are now struggling to survive." https://coral.org/en/where -we-work/hawaiian-islands/#:~:text=Hawai%CA%BBi's%20reefs%20face%20major%20global,into%20Hawai%CA%BBi's%20waterways%20every%20day. This article states that runoff is a leading source in coral degradation. Article by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, AKA NOAA, "Land-based sources of pollution are a leading cause of coral reef degradation in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Water quality is impacted by urban runoff, failing sewage systems, unpaved roads, farms, land clearing, and development." https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/status_report/docs/Hawaii_status_report_forweb.pdf This article is a Research Article by PLOS ONE and their motto is,"We're driving change in research integrity and publication ethics." This is some of their article information, "Coral taxonomy and local stressors drive bleaching prevalence across the Hawaiian Archipelago in 2019... We found little evidence for acclimation by reefs to thermal stress in the main Hawaiian Islands. Moreover, our findings illustrate how detrimental effects of local anthropogenic stressors, such as tourism and urban run-off, may be exacerbated under high thermal stress. In light of the forecasted increase in severity and frequency of bleaching events, future mitigation of both local and global stressors is a high priority for the future of corals in Hawai‘i." https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0269068 The coral all over Hawai'i has had extremely high mortality rates, due to developments near ocean areas throughout the years, and development in Keauhou Bay will be devastating to the coral, reef fish, and all aquatic life there. Manta Rays need to eat 5 times their body weight in zooplankton daily. Their population will be severely affected should the plankton die. Please see the cited information below. "SO, HOW MUCH PLANKTON DOES YOUR AVERAGE MANTA RAY EAT? 19,200,000. Nineteen million two hundred thousand, give or take a few thousand. That is the number of plankton pieces a ten-foot manta ray must consume weekly to stay alive." The above information was taken from Manta Ray Advocates https://mantarayadvocates.com/how-much-plankton-do-mantas-eat/ Coral reefs are known to be highly negatively impacted by developments because, "Impacts from land-based sources of pollution including coastal development,...can impede coral growth and reproduction, disrupt overall ecological function, and cause disease and mortality in sensitive species." https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral- pollution.html#:~:text=Impacts%20from%20land%2Dbased%20sources,and%20mortality%20in%20sensitive%20species. Article by Environmental Evidence, "Coastal development and runoff lead to sedimentation, which directly impacts coral recruitment, growth, mortality, and ecosystem services that coral reefs provide." https://environmentalevidencejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13750-020-00200- 0#:~:text=Coastal%20development%20and%20runoff%20lead,services%20that%20coral%20reefs%20provide. Developments can't fully stop polluting because runoff is from rain during development and after. Article by NOAA, "One of the most significant threats to reefs is pollution. Land-based runoff and pollution discharges can result from dredging, coastal development…This runoff may contain sediments, nutrients, chemicals, insecticides, oil and debris. When some pollutants enter the water, nutrient levels can increase, promoting the rapid growth of algae and other organisms that can smother coral." https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_c orals/coral09_humanthreats.html#:~:text=This%20runoff%20may%20contain%20sediments,organisms%20that%20can%20smother%20corals. Another article by NOAA, "Coral reefs also are affected by leaking fuels, anti-fouling paints and coatings, and other chemicals that enter the water… (All of those are show up in every development project.) Among the most damaging pollutants on coral reefs is sediment, which can remain suspended in the water or be deposited on the coral surface (i.e., turbidity and sedimentation, respectively) and can contain toxicants, pathogens, and nutrients, all of which impact coral growth, recruitment, and survival" https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral09_humanthreats.html#:~:text=This%20runoff%20may%20contain%20sediments,into%20the%20atmosphere%20within%20days. It's Been Proven Resort Developments KILL Marine Life This article by MarinBIO states, "Zooplankton are also sensitive to their environment and like phytoplankton—a change in zooplankton concentration can indicate a subtle environmental change. Zooplankton are highly responsive to nutrient levels, temperatures, pollution, food that is not nutritious, levels of light, and increases in predation. As well as providing an essential link in the marine food chain (which is an understatement), the diversity of species, amount of biomass and abundance of zooplankton communities can be used to determine the health of an ecosystem... Here is another article that shocking shows that in a very short time, big changes can occur due to runoff. A development will hurt and kill plankton, by Frontiers in Marine Science, "Effects of an experimental terrestrial runoff on the components of the plankton food web in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon The main result observed in the present study was that the effects of the simulated terrestrial runoff spread along the plankton food web, significantly affecting all trophic levels of the natural plankton community studied. This occurred in a relatively short time considering that the experiment lasted less than three weeks. The lower light availability in the terrestrial runoff treatment compared to the control resulted in a net decrease of approximately one-third of Chl-a concentration and phytoplankton abundance over the entire experiment." https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.120 0757/full The ecosystem is fragile and interconnected as is stated in this article: ”Zooplankton are also affected by levels of pH, heavy metals, calcium, and aluminum. Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus will affect the prey of zooplankton (like algae, protozoa and bacteria), indirectly affecting zooplankton survival. Scientists are still putting together pieces of the zooplankton puzzle. Some questions include how nutrient levels found in algae can influence the growth and behavior of zooplankton. Another question important to marine and human life is how toxins and pollution will affect this crucial link in the food chain" This information is in article by MarineBIO. https://www.marinebio.org/creatures/zooplankton/#:~:text=Zooplankton%20are%20also%20sensitive%20to,light%2C%20and%20increases%20in%20predation. A research article by Environmental Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency that discusses, "Toxic Effects of Pollutants on Plankton: There are four main sources of aquatic pollution: industrial wastes, municipal wastes, agricultural run-off, and accidental spillage. Non-point sources, such as automobile exhausts, add appreciable amounts of pollutants to air that may enter aquatic systems in rainfall or dry fall-out. These sources add pesticides, heavy metals, oil, petroleum products, and a large number of organic and inorganic compounds to water. Lakes and oceans serve as sinks for many pollutants. Plankton comprise a large portion of the living matter in natural waters and function in biogeochemical cycles. They are affected by pollutants, transfer them to sediments and other organisms, and function in their biological transformation." https://scope.dge.carnegiescience.edu/SCOPE_12/SCOPE_12_3.6_chapter12_257-274.pdf All the above articles show that development of Keauhou Bay WILL hurt plankton life and marine life in the bay because pollutant runoff is inevitable and unavoidable during construction and afterwords. The manta ray food source will likely disappear. This will be devastating for the manta ray populations. Furthermore, if manta rays die or leave the area, the loss will in turn affect many lively hoods from locals on the island who depend on the manta ray tour for their income. HUMAN POPULATION INCREASES LINKED DIRECTLY TO CORAL DEATH Below are reports that show human population destroys coral reefs. "The number of people living on the coasts has rapidly increased in recent decades, causing significant development of coastal areas. Coastal development can negatively impact the ocean through the destruction of coastal marine habitat and through run-off of sediments and pollution. -Coastal development involves activities such as the creation of harbors, stabilization of shorelines, and aquaculture that involve the destruction of sensitive marine habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. -Coastal development may cause the run-off of sediments into coastal habitats, which can smother corals or seaweeds and reduce the amount of light available for photosynthesis. Losses of primary producers and important habitat-forming species such as corals can negatively impact entire food webs." The above information was taken from the Education Development Center, INC, from their Coastal Development page called Ocean Tracks https://oceantracks.org/library/human-impacts/coastal-development#: ~:text=Coastal%20development%20may%20cause%20the,negatively%20impact%20entire%20food%20webs. There is nothing Kamehameha Schools can do to their development that can stop the guests of this possible Bungalow Resort from going to Keauhou Bay. Human traffic WILL seriously increase if this resort is allowed to be built and the marine life will be negatively affected by it. Marine life will suffer from this development as stated in this letter in many different scientific reported articles. If you allow this resort the amount of people in this bay will fully increase and, "Hawai‘i’s recent history has shown that the state’s growing population can have an adverse effect on nearshore fish populations. Protecting this important resource for the enjoyment of future generations is essential. Ideally, management of the resource should balance the needs of different user groups, but the welfare of the marine environment on which its inhabitants depend must be the most important consideration." This was taken from Hawaii's own Division of Aquatic Resources https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/marine-managed-areas/hawaii-marine-life-conservation- districts/#:~:text=Snorkeling%20and%20SCUBA%20diving%20are,effect%20on%20nearshore%20fish%20populations. It's Been Proven an Increase in Human Population Destroys Coral Reefs A development will bring a serious increase in human traffic. "Easily visible trends in human population dynamics combined with well-established and tested ecological theory give a clear, intuitive, yet quantifiable guide to the severity of survival challenges faced by coral reefs. Management challenges and required actions can be clearly shown and, contrary to frequent claims, no scientific ambiguity exists with regard to the serious threat posed to coral reefs by humankind's continued numerical increase." This is in the article by National Library of Medicine National center for Biotechnology Information PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33293007/#:~:text=Denser%20coastal%20populations%20and%20greater,to%20more%20runoff%20and%20siltation. This article is by ABC NEWS, "This is how tourists are destroying coral reefs in Hawaii. The less people at a certain site, the more coral there are, the research found. The millions of tourists who flock to the shores of Hawaii every year are wreaking havoc on its natural environment -- especially the coral reefs, which are at risk all over the world, a new study said. The most popular coral reefs on the Hawaiian islands are likely being degraded by the very visitors they attract, according to a study published Monday in Nature Sustainability." https://abcnews.go.com/US/hawaiian-coral-reefs-degrading-popular-tourist-sites-scientists/story? id=96308858#:~:text=The%20less%20people%20at%20a,there%20are%2C%20the%20research%20found.&text=The%20millions%20of%20tourists%20who,world%2C%20a%20new%20study%20said. By allowing this development you are stressing an already fragile Ecosystem. The small bay is currently used by many locals for boating, fishing, canoeing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, surfing, and swimming. We know, and research shows, that more people cause more damage. The area simply cannot afford or support this development. "Denser coastal populations and greater wealth will lead to reef degradation by coastal construction. Denser populations inland will lead to more runoff and siltation. Effects of human perturbations can be explored with meta-population theory since they translate to increases in patch-mortality and decreases in patch-colonization (= regeneration). All such changes will result in a habitat with overall fewer settled patches, so fewer live reefs." This information was taken from Science Direct https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00652881203003 28#:~:text=Aquaculture%20will%20alleviate%20some%20fishing,to%20more%20runoff%20and%20siltation. Another article by Nature Sustainability, "Coral reefs and coastal tourism in Hawaii Coral reefs are popular for their vibrant biodiversity. By combining web-scraped Instagram data from tourists and high-resolution live coral cover maps in Hawaii, we find that, regionally, coral reefs both attract and suffer from coastal tourism. Higher live coral cover attracts reef visitors, but that visitation contributes to subsequent reef degradation. Such feedback loops threaten the highest quality reefs, highlighting both their economic value and the need for effective conservation management." https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-01021-4.epdf? sharing_token=wsakgQNhaJhjJAnWAq453tRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0PyGzA5lc_H0O1zcHNIP3ASnhcgKRy6_vKLPw49dbmBYoXSg3Y1MgQiGBZsapdGUHi7O1SLbu9x5Pr3xED4Kxl4T0sJlvgQ1a72ZRt3rUbraxpodJd2AoNlSmWSuxB7JjEDdpJj8OGJpx71T JWdCfXvFKJlZYeNdcJj3Sw_dnaUg5lZlhcjPBDImmaH15yqT5Q%3D&tracking_referrer=abcnews.go.com INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCES ON AN ISLAND ALREADY HIGHLY IMPACTED AND STRUGGLING FOR ANSWERS There are many big housing developments currently under construction in Kailua Kona, Waikoloa Village, Hilo, Puna, Ocean View and Volcano. The entire Big Island has construction projects already in progress. "Hotel waste management refers to all the practices and processes that hotels implement to handle and dispose of the multiple types of waste generated on their premises. Worldwide, hotels produce almost 300,000 tonnes of waste each year." https://www.homebiogas.com/blog/hotels-waste-management/ As of now, the Big Island's Resources and Infrastructure are having serious negative issues and many more developments that have been approved are not even completed as of yet, which means our island’s resources and infrastructure will be taxed even more severely in the near future. Please read the below articles that prove Big Island does not have the resources or infrastructure for a 143-Unit Bungalow Resort Development at Keauhou Bay. On Hawai’i Island, we are already struggling to meet the increasing need for resources and infrastructure. Big Island Now poll No. 27 results: More than one solution needed to help extend life of West Hawai‘i landfill September 17, 2023 The West Hawai’i Sanitary Landfill, the only remaining landfill on the Big Island, is forecast to reach capacity within the next 20 to 25 years. The West Hawai‘i landfill became the island’s only one after the Hilo Landfill closed three years ago. It only has about 20 to 25 years left before it can no longer be used to store rubbish. https://bigislandnow.com/2023/09/17/big-island-now-poll-no-27-results-more-than-one-solution-needed-to-help-extend-life-of-west-hawaii-landfill/ A County commission drafts ordinance aiming to ban recyclables at West Hawai‘i landfill By Megan Moseley September 6, 2023 Hawai‘i County’s Environmental Management Commission is developing an ordinance that aims to prohibit the amount of recyclable materials ending up in the island’s only working landfill. During a commission meeting on July 26, Ramzi Mansour, Hawai’i County Director of Environmental Management, told commissioners the West Hawai‘i Sanitary Landfill only has 20 to 25 years left before it reaches capacity. With the Hilo Landfill permanently closed in 2020, the clock is ticking for the island’s sole dump. Commission chairperson Georjean Adams said it’s a good time to start looking into solutions. Adams said the proposed ordinance is in its early stages and is more about getting the conversation started about how to prevent unnecessary, or recyclable items — green waste, metals, plastics, paper, paperboard and glass — from ending up in the rubbish dump, located off Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway in Waikloa. “Trying to site a new landfill is close to impossible,” Adams said. “So what are we going to do? So I was looking around, and the commission agreed, to look deeply into the idea of diverting the recyclables out and at least slow the filling up of the landfill.” The proposed ordinance refers to the 2019 Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan that commits the county to “divert, as much as feasible, commercial and municipal solid waste, including but not limited to green waste, metals, plastics, paper, paperboard, and glass to help achieve goals related to climate resiliency, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and zero waste.” https://bigislandnow.com/2023/09/06/new-draft-ordinance-aims-to-ban-recyclables-at-west-hawaii-landfill/ Time’s Up For Landfills ‘Gentle’ demolition strategies can help preserve resources PAULA BENDER April 2, 2024 As Hawai‘i government officials grapple with the challenge of limited landfill space statewide, federal restrictions set in place by the Environmental Protection Agency are ruling out possible locations that were once considered for new landfills. Hawaii Act 73 states landfills must be located at least half a mile from residential areas; are prohibited from being located in areas with heavy rain and steep slopes, as well as agricultural and/or conservation lands; above aquifers; 300 feet beyond streams; and 1,000 feet beyond the ocean. New landfills are also now prohibited from being created in tsunami inundation zones, 100-year flood zones and wetlands. There are also concerns that landfills near airports will attract birds, resulting in damage to aircraft and fatalities among pilots and passengers. The City & County of Honolulu is in the process of identifying its next landfill and it doesn’t want one any bigger or more active than absolutely necessary. https://buildingindustryhawaii.com/2024/04/times-up-for-landfills/ Drought Conditions On Hawaii Island Prompt Water Supply Message by Big Island Video News on Oct 5, 2023 at 3:59 pm (BIVN) – With moderate to severe drought conditions being reported across Hawaii island, local water department officials issued a statement this week on the need for customers to use drinking water wisely. Most of Hawaii island is under “Moderate Drought” conditions, according to the latest information from the U.S. Drought Monitor. There is an area under “Abnormally Dry” conditions in South Kona, however there are other, small pockets on the Big Island that are under “Severe Drought”. There is even a small spot of “Extreme Drought” in the South Point area of Ka. “The National Weather Service’s forecast calls for the existing drought conditions to expand over the entire island and intensify over the upcoming months due to the ongoing El Niño event,” reported the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply. “Peak dryness is expected to occur from around January through February 2024. The El Niño event will likely persist well into spring 2024.”