2018-04-05 Hearing Transcript - Hu Honua Bioenergy SMA 221 (Partial Remand)

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HALL: Can we please hold applause to the end? Thank you. So we can get through everyone. Thank you. CLARKSON: Please proceed. NEWBERG: Aloha Chair and Planning Commission. My name is Max Newberg. I'm the field representative for the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters. As our membership here on Hawaii Island is close to 600, some of them which are here on my right today, we appreciate the opportunity to testify today in support of Hu Honua and their plan for the storm water runoff It is my understanding that their plan will eliminate the discharge of plan operation water into the ocean. And, it is also my understanding that Hu Honua will handle water discharge from plant operations as well as pre -development and post -development, which is consistent with the Permit 221. As such, we respectfully request that the Commission issue a supplemental decision in order for Hu Honua to continue. Thank you. CLARKSON: Please proceed. Introduce yourself again, please. DEAN: Okay. My name is Christopher Dean. I, too, am in the construction industry, and I really do appreciate the union and everything they've done for this country, and I am grateful for them, and I want to assure them there are many, many jobs waiting to happen in the solar industry and with infrastructure jobs for storage and things like this. Now, to address the water. Water is, you know, it's a fluid thing that you're going to have a continual stream of water going into this facility. Now, it's potable, clean water as it enters. Then, it becomes subjected to various industrial activities which renders it non -potable. At this point, there is no possible solution except for a continual amount of storage or some sort of massive filtration system that purifies the water which would be energy intensive or injecting that into the, into the ground. Well, any water that's going to be stored on the ground or injected into the ground, that's going in the ocean. There's just no doubt about that. And, it also contaminates the aquifer. The basalt structure of this island is just permeated with cracks. It's very porous in many areas, very porous, but it's just fractured in fissures and fault lines everywhere. There's just no conceivable way that you're going—if water that's contaminated enters the ground in any way, there's just no way that it's not going into the ocean or it's not going into the aquifer. It's going in one of those two places. Otherwise, it would just continue to pile up on the property. Thank you. HALUCLARKSON: It's on. [Referring to the microphone.] ANDREWS: Aloha, my name is Lisa Andrews. I'm representing myself, my `ohana, the environment, and all future generations. The damage the project Holua Loa [sic] will inflict on the shore and ocean will be unreversible [sic]. Piles of contaminated ash are remnant of coal ash will end up in runoff and affecting everything makai of property. The hundred feet from shoreline, three injection wells, would be ridiculously close to the ocean. The irreparable damage to the aquifer and ocean is a horrifying thought. Chemical -laden wastewater should not EXHIBIT C 13