2017-11-28 Environmental Management Commission Minutes

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Director Kucharski said the Solid Waste Management Plan is coming up for a 10-year review, and these are questions and issues the Solid Waste Committee will take a look at and address. They are in the process of getting committee members. They will start in 2018 and the plan will be finalized in 2019. The plan will go to the State Department of Health. Vice Chair Bennett suggested they table this conversation, and he will make it his responsibility to make sure it gets agendized at the appropriate time. Director Kucharski asked if there were any questions on his report, and Commissioner Fear asked how the recycling of cars was going. Director Kucharski said they had an auction of the vehicles about two weeks, and he did not know the numbers yet. One issue they have is that they cannot pick up vehicles on non-County roads because of how the statutes are written. They will be seeking to modify the statute to allow them to go into communities which have non- County roads, such as Puna, and service the community the way it should be serviced. They are working continuously to upgrade the process, but reports still need to be made to the police so the tickets can be issued. They cannot tow vehicles without the police ticketing them. Vice Chair Bennett suggested moving on to the next agenda item. b. Commission Member District Update Reports. Commissioner Osborne said abandoned cars are the concern. Commissioner Olson said his district has the same concern. Also, some County signage is wrong: the sign in Keaʻau saying not to dump ohia into the greenwaste is on the driveway going out, not the roadway coming in. There has been improvement on the rubbish bins. Commissioner Fear said they want pollution signs, to warn residents and tourists of the staph and water so they wash themselves well after using the beaches. Also, he would like to raise the penalty for cigarette butt littering from $500 to $1,000. Ms. Wong said that the fine is at $1,000 currently, and Director Kucharski said that before someone can be ticketed, a police officer has to observe the offense. This will be an issue for the anti-litter campaign. Commissioner Fear said another concern is the need for water testing, due to all the sunscreen being used. People need to start using the sunscreens that don’t pollute the ocean and kill fish. Also, there is dolphin harassment occurring on the Kona tours and throughout the state. Vice Chair Bennett shared a concern relative to a transfer station and showed a picture of Highway 11 with caution sawhorses in the bike lane, which would force the bikes to ride in the roadway. Director Kucharski said he will communicate with staff that the sawhorses cannot be in the bike lane. 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Vice Chair Bennett questioned the need to have items 7a and 7b repeatedly on the agenda, and he suggested removing them from future agendas. Ms. Noda said the sewer rate 11