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<br />This site, I’m sure you all understand that it was a service station called Super Highway Service
<br />Station. I grew up in Nīnole, and summer time, I worked there. This was prior to EPA rules, but
<br />we were very part of disposing motor oil. After this was mechanic’s shop, radiator fluid, motor
<br />oil, also a graveyard for dilapidated vehicles. I’ve also seen now they’re working on the land
<br />already, look like they’re bulldozing and grubbing. Looks like they have barrier sediments up
<br />today for the first time, obviously there must be an inspection coming up soon. Many trees were
<br />cut. I can see the ocean now, but what bothers me is, this seems to be the cart before the horse
<br />issue. It seems to be a trend here in this island.
<br />
<br />The proprietor was also an independent sugar grower. I also worked at the sugar fields. We
<br />used to help pick up drums of herbicide. You know, lot of these herbicides had arsenic in ‘em,
<br />you know. Site needs to be totally, thoroughly—because it’s a public health issue—not only for
<br />the whole request but also for us community members that need to drive that road everyday
<br />because trucks with muddy tires continuously going in and out of the highway now. Nobody has
<br />tested for those petroleum products. I was part of a student help, they’re doing that, dumping
<br />gallons of waste oil in the back. Please consider this, that’s serious for everybody, okay?
<br />
<br />Also, that, you know he also stored fertilizer. Here’s a huge independent sugar planter, so that
<br />was a big part of process. No rules then, but now there’s obvious signs of removing stuff.
<br />
<br />I’m really concerned and with, also with the gas tank. That service station has a gas tank. I
<br />don’t know whether it’s been removed or not, but you were to pursue any process, that should
<br />also be looked at because I’m sure there’s lot of leakages. It’s very close to the ocean, and I’m
<br />concerned about that.
<br />
<br />You know, my kupuna growing up in Hāmākua Coast, part of big plantation community—
<br />hunting, fishing was a big part of that. We were part of that also during the strike. We had soup
<br />kitchens. There was a sense of community. My kupuna taught me to fish. I fished off the whole
<br />coast behind that property and along my house at Nishimoto Store. I grew up there. We picked
<br />opihi. It’s an excellent opihi ground. I want you to look at the potential runoff even now.
<br />They’ve already bulldozed and cut down many trees. Are there any abatement for sediment
<br />runoff? That’s gonna contaminate the opihi grounds. Studies have shown that opihi are self, are
<br />self—in other words—the opihi here only colonizes the opihi on this island, and it doesn’t go to
<br />another island, in other words, if you don’t protect your source here, you won’t have more
<br />opihis, it’s gonna go like, Oahu will never get any opihi from us or any other island. It comes
<br />from their own island. So there’s a critical point. Also, let me point out to you that Hāmākua
<br />Coast is also the habitat of the endangered, juvenile hawksbill turtle. The federal has listed it as
<br />such. Juvenile hawksbill turtle feed on the special sponge that only occur off the Hāmākua
<br />Coast. So, again, when you consider these developments, please look at impact on the ocean.
<br />Seems like lot of us look at from, from the land outward, and look only at the horizon. Maybe
<br />it’s time to look from the other way around.
<br />
<br />Again, you know, there’s wholesale—okay, let me, may I end up closing? In general, let’s stop
<br />the wholesale assault on the Hāmākua Coast for high—it’s just simply, it’s like an attack over
<br />and over again, you know, we need these Agricultural lands for our children. You know, food
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<br />EXHIBIT B
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