2002-03-27 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes

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Minutes for Wednesday, March 27, 2002Page 2 of 5 come from bottles. Almost 50% of all the litter on the island comes from bottles. Our landfill is overflowing. Our economy is based on tourism and the beauty of the islands. If litter and solid waste rise to a level where it turns people off from coming here, we are going to lose a lot more money then we’re talking about the nickels and dimes. You can make your money on volume. 4.APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA David Frankel moved to amend the agenda to include a discussion on the Volcano Transfer Station as agreed to at our last meeting. Hugh Ono seconded the motion. Motion was unanimously carried. David Frankel motioned to discuss the diversion of items from the West Hawai‘i Landfill which is a continuation of our discussion from the last meeting. Hugh Ono seconded the motion. Motion was unanimously carried. Carolyn Witcher moved to discuss the items heard on the latest council’s Public Works and Environmental Management Committee meeting. David Frankel seconded the motion. Motion was unanimously carried. 5.CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION State Bottle Bill  Gretchen Ammerman, State Recycling Coordinator reported about House Bill 1256 and Senate Bill 2266. All of the counties, the EPA, the Sierra Club, and most of the recyclers are in support of the bill. Only the beverage industries are opposed to the bill. Redemption centers (1 mile, 3 miles, urban and rural) would be the areas where a consumer would take their beverage containers. Five cents is put on glass, aluminum, and numbers 1 and 2 plastic. Both the two cents and the five cents are a one time cost to the consumer. The additional cost is at the discretion of the bottler. A person returns a bottle and they are paid five cents. The seven cents is not recoverable by the bottler except through price control. Director’s Report  Galen provided a written report to the commissioners. Met with the Mayor and requested the release of $750,000.00 to hire a consultant for the first stage of the regional transfer station. Construction is in the overall 6 year funding package. Attended a Puna Community Association meeting, and at that meeting they reaffirmed that a large portion of the litter along the highways are beverage containers. The administration is supporting the State Bottle Bill as a secondary effort. Assuming the bottle bill doesn’t pass, the administration intends to support Lorraine Inouye’s Bill No. 2005 (pilot project for Big Island only). There is an 8.1 million-dollar shortfall as far as the coming budget. Rather than go across the board on a real property tax increase perhaps look at solid waste as an individual line item. Approximately 7.2 million dollars is transferred from general fund into solid waste. By putting it into real property tax, that amount would be covered through the additional tax or fee freeing up the general fund. Suggested that a line item for a solid waste user fee or user charges with an appropriate amount be listed on the real property tax bill. You pay the total real property tax plus the solid waste user fee. Recycling Coordinators’ position is approved by the Department of Civil Service and in the process of getting it filled. We need to go before an Executive Review Committee to get all new hires approved. It will take several months before we can hire. Solid Waste Division Chief’s Report  No written report. Riley requested that a written report be provided at each meeting. This will enable the absent Commissioners to be properly informed. file://C:\Test1\minutes032702.htm6/22/2011