2014-09-04 Hearing Transcript-Mayor - GAF Study

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industry; the wastewater industry; the meat packing industry; and several other chemical manufacturing processes that emits substantial quantities of H2S. I worked with Dr. Legator when he was here as part of his five community across the United States epidemiological survey. Dr. Legator was one of the premier epidemiologists in the world at the time that he showed up to do this study. And the kind of flack that he took came all the way from Washington. He completed the study. He is deceased now. This is not going to be a small undertaking. We wouldn’t be having this discussion if we lived in Europe. European union does not allow the kinds of levels that we’re allowed in the United States in terms of exposure to H2S. It is well understood. Don’t be surprised if they come back for more money. They’re probably going to need it. Thank you. SIRACUSA: Renē Siracusa, 15-167 South Road, Kaohe Homesteads, Pāhoa, Hawai‛i 96778. I’ve taken a break from evacuating to come here and talk to you. I was—I remember when the asset fund was formed, and the most important to my mind and the primary purpose of the fund was to “mitigate negative impacts from geothermal development.” But it never stated what those negative impacts were. As I see it, there could be two types of impacts. One is to property, and one is to people. I don’t think there’s anything else around that it could be, one or the other. So, the, the problem with the way it was drawn out, one of the problems, was that the fund required the use of a claims adjuster. But, in order to, and claims adjusters can, can make valuations on, on property, that’s what they’re trained for. They don’t have the skills or the training to make these kinds of evaluations on health impacts on people and the community. And that’s one of the reasons that we need this health fund, this study. There have been studies in the past, the Legator studies checked, studied central nervous effects. It didn’t study anything to do with, with reproductive problems in women or with respiratory problems or like that. It wasn’t the complete study. It was criticized because of that. It was also criticized because the control group was later discovered to be really another impacted group, not as impacted as the immediate neighbors, but still they were downwind. And that was Hawaiian Beaches. So, you know, what we really need, in order for us to make decisions, and make adequate decisions about the health and, and of the community, and to, and to in order to impact, mitigate the impact, is to have a proper health study that everyone knows was done properly, impartially, and totally pono. A study that is complete. And this is what the working group recommended. I sat on that working group although I’m not testifying for them. I’m testifying for Malama O Puna. I think it would benefit everybody in the community and agencies who have to make recommendations. I think everyone needs to know exactly what’s happening there, and requesting that you approve this appropriation from the asset fund. Thank you. SMITH: Gregory Todd Smith, 13-1263 Kahukai Street, Pāhoa, Hawai‛i, Leilani Estates. This is 30 years in coming. This community was basically abandoned by State regulatory agencies as well as the County of Hawai‛i agencies. Basically, the State brought in, hoping to bring in geothermal development on the health, safety, and lives of the people. At State level, we do not have any protection whatsoever against the excesses of this type of industry whatsoever. We don’t even have contested case hearing rights. Those were taken away I think in 1997. There’s no other industry in the State of Hawai‛i that has that type of protection against scrutiny from the public as well as redress for our, you know, for our concerns. This has to happen. We are now actually being threatened by more geothermal development. We do not have any base studies, either on the quality of our land, our water, our air, nothing. We have people living on 3 EXHIBIT F