2018-10-24 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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against having something that will help the island’s environment, but they would like the chance to be at the table to suggest where it should be. Sophia Hanoa: Ms. Hanoa said she was born and raised in Pāhala, is a resident there, and wanted to share some of the community’s concerns. First and foremost, there was no disclosure of what was going on. The county came out in December with a plan, and the community was told that different sites were being looked at, and it was up in the air. The county was to return in April to talk to the community, but never did. All of a sudden, in September, they got notification that an EA was done. The community had no idea. A copy of the EA was dropped off at the library, but no one could check it out because it was a reference item. The elderly had no idea what was going on. The community has been stressed since 2007 with the sewage system. Some residents have been paying sewage fees, and they are not even hooked up. They wonder why they are paying these fees. Psychological stress is placed on the community now regarding the new system. They are worried about the cost. They were told it was possibly going to be $20,000. Some of the residents also have to pay for the cost to cover up their cesspools. The whole project is being fast-tracked without the community’s input. The site in the EA was deemed not a primary location back in 2008. Their former councilman, Guy Enriques, had provided a handout on this. So why was an EA being done on the same site that the county knew was not appropriate? The site has burials and caves. The community knows they need a sewage plant. However, there is a better location just below the highway. If the county had consulted Edward Andrade, who was the C. Brewer manager of the sewage system, he would have told them the site below the highway is better. There is already access under the highway, and the plantation used to use this access as well. Kamehameha Schools owns the proposed site area, and they also own the site below the highway. The chosen location is right at the entrance of Pāhala’s old historical road. Everyone knows they have flooding problems. All of the community’s water comes to the corner of the proposed site. It’s a hazard. Emergency access is also a problem. There are two ways in and out of Pāhala, one by the hospital entrance and the other at the proposed site. If flooding occurs, they would have to block off Maile Street and Māmalahoa Highway. If a flood overflows toward the hospital, the community will be locked in. The lower part of Māmalahoa Highway would be a better site. The community agrees, but they were never asked. She hopes the extension is granted. The community wants to work with the county. They know it has to be done, but it needs to be done properly. Wise decisions need to be made for the generations to come. The cost is an issue. She just wanted to let the EMC know the concerns of the Pāhala community and that they want to work with the county to get this project done appropriately. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Chair’s update on the Environmental Management Commission’s report to the Charter Commission. Chair Bennett said he should probably apologize for his naivety. When he was asked to provide the Charter Commission with the EMC’s report, he made the assumption they would allow him to give a presentation to provide more detail. While the chair told him