Public Comments and Responses to the IRSWMP (Appendix I) - 2009

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or business activity grows more rapidly than projected. When the County first proposed the existing West Hawaii Landfill, it told residents it was building the landfill for the benefit of West Hawai i. Any program to truck East Hawaii s trash would break the County's promise to KCRA and all of West Hawai i s residents. West Hawaii is not, and should never be, the "dumping ground" for East Hawai i. In commenting on the County's prior Environmental Impact Statement for the East Hawai i Sort Station, KCRA stated: "KCRA reiterates that it fully supports the County of Hawaii s efforts to reduce the island's waste stream, including recycling and the sort station concept... But KCRA cannot support a massive and costly waste - trucking proposal that endangers the health, safety, and well being of all West Hawaii residents." KCRA stands by that statement and once again strongly urges the County of Hawaii to devote its full efforts and resources to extending the life of the South Hilo Landfill and pursuing waste reduction technology to ensure that the trucking of trash from East Hawaii to West Hawaii will never occur. KCRA appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Plan Update. Response: The County of Hawaii believes that cost estimates presented in the IRSWMP Update are reasonable, planning -level estimates. Actual costs will vary. The County is very sensitive to the community issues surrounding both expansion of the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill and trucking waste from East Hawaii to West Hawaii, and would seek to minimize community and environmental impacts from whichever solution is eventually adopted. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSES APPENDIX IDOC 22