2017-07-26 Environmental Management Commission Minutes

Home

than the homes that are out of compliance. In order to be compliant with EPA it will cost $100,000 per house. Mr. Warren would gladly give up his keys to his house in exchange for $100,000. The Department has still never been able to provide a copy of the 2004 agreement that Mayor Kim entered in with the homeowners. That plan was not going to cost $16 million. We could be on the road to something better had that plan not been side tracked. • Megan Lamson — Supports Bill 13, Draft 3 and appreciates the Commission's support in this initiative over the years. Ms. Lamson is a Marine Biologist and is here on behalf of Hawaii Wildlife Fund. In 2017 they removed over 37,000 pounds of marine debris from the shoreline; 216 tons since 2003. It's not fair to say that Styrofoam is the majority of the debris, however it is a component from near and far sources. This bill is an example of how we can stop some of these sources. Marine debris is awful for our health and marine wildlife. Polystyrene samples have also been found in the sand. Of the debris that is collected, 40% are derelict fishing nets. Ms. Lamson urges the Commission to move forward and continue to support these initiatives. • Simmy McMichael — Sewer problem in Kona is a really big issue. There has been 2 million gallons of nutrients going into the ocean. Ms. McMichael has an affidavit statement from the person who did a study in 2012 at which time the tests were out of compliance. Direct cesspools are going in the ocean. From Queen Kalama onto Kahalu`u Beach the County did not put in a sewer system because the engineer was from Oahu and didn't realize there was another mile to go. The cesspool at Kahalu`u Beach is in the ocean. County said it's because 20 years ago it was 80 feet back. Ms. McMichael's theory is to finish the last mile and make everyone on the mauka side of Ali`i Drive connect, but the fact is the last mile has nowhere to connect. Even if all mauka homeowners put in their own septic system tanks, the fact is the makai homeowners have an erosion problem as their boundary lines are now in the ocean. Director Kucharski stated it was not an oversight on the County's part to stop the sewer system a mile short. It ended there because that was the end of the planning district. Everything north goes to Kealakehe, and everything south goes to a private sewer system. One solution to resolving this issue is to have another treatment system on the south side. We are aware of the issue and working with the Mayor to resolve it. The discharge that occurred earlier this year was from a Parks and Recreation sewer system, and that line was exposed. Parks and DEM worked together to resolve the issue and the line has been moved out of the surf. 4. OLD BUSINESS: a. Discuss next step for draft Resolution supporting an anti -litter ethic for Hawaii Island o Dr. Bennett moved to have the Commission adopt this resolution and forward it to County Council. Mr. Olson seconded, and it carried unanimously. o Chair Fritz asked Ms. Toguchi to put this Resolution in form and forward to the County Council. b. Review of letter to Director Pressler of State of Hawaii Department of Health regarding disposal of non -disinfected partially treated wastewater in injection wells, sumps or outfalls o Chair Fritz stated this Commission is sharing their concern with the Wastewater Branch about the discharge of non -disinfected wastewater that goes into injection wells along our coast. o Ms. Wong reiterated what Ms. Schoen had stated in a previous meeting, that the letter to Director Pressler does not fall within the Commissions powers as outlined in the County Charter. o Dr. Bennett stated he asked Ms. Schoen if there was anything that prohibited this and she 2