2025-01-27 Rebecca Melendez Testimony

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In developed areas, the existing infrastructure can be problematic. Digging through concrete sidewalks and roads is costly and disruptive." The traffic on Big Island has been increasing every month, and they want to dig up our two lane roads to "sit" their "broadband infrastructure'? THEY ARE NOT ADDRESS INFRASTRACTURE ISSUES ON ISLAND. This site explains that laying cable underground https://pulsefibre.co.uk/2023/06/l5/when-more-is- less-the-risks-and-downsides-of-overbuild/ "Fibre overbuilds in the 21st century are becoming a widespread problem, with more fibre cable being laid on streets than can ever be utilised by the residents. Not only does this often cause mayhem on the roads, with closures and roadworks slowing traffic, but Fibre overbuilds can lead to countless negative effects on the environment, and the eventual rise in cost to the consumer and developer." The county is not focusing on the island's issues, like the fact we already have serious traffic issues. They want to create more traffic problems by laying down fibre cable that will create a "Broadband/Smart Grid," hence a Smart City, and they are explaining this by using minimal wording to confuse and obscure their true intentions. The county is not acknowledging that Hawai'i Electric does NOT have the kind of power a Smart Grid needs, which will add to the island's already-existing power issues. News Article: https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/safety-and- outa es an-update-on-hawaii-island-power-generation "An update on Hawaii Island power generation - how you can help ..there's no one to call on for backup - we're on our own. That's why we will need everyone to work together over the next month, and possibly longer, to conserve electricity. We are extremely tight on what we call our generation margin, the margin between the demand for electricity and our ability to supply it. This demand typically peaks on weekdays between 5 and 9 p.m. and that's when the margin is most critical." 8