2019-02-27 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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After further discussion, Chair Bennett said he would draft the letter to be sent to Dave Yamamoto, and provide the EMC with his letter. 6. REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE a. Chair’s report on a community presentation to be held on vacuum- operated sewer systems. The presentation will be held on March 12, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, Building G. Chair Bennett said that of his own volition, he has encouraged John Radinoff, the CEO of a Sidney, Australia, company called Flovac, to come to Hawaiʻi and provide an informational seminar about the kind of sewer piping the company provides to coastal communities all over the world. The system uses vacuum to move the liquid, as opposed to positive pressure pumps. It is attractive in concept because for vacuum systems to work, there cannot be a leak. There are built-in sensors, and if a line is broken the system doesn’t work. He asked the commissioners for authorization to list the EMC as the sponsor of the seminar. Motion, second, and vote: Vice Chair Olson moved that the EMC sponsor the informational seminar on March 12, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. in Kona. Commissioner Pequeño seconded the motion, and all commissioners voted aye. Chair Bennett said he would circulate a flyer he had created on the seminar. b. Director’s Informational Report. • Status of Bill 210: The sewer increase bill was passed by the Council. It was modified to spread the increases out over five years. DEM will collect $8 to $10 million less than what was originally proposed, but all in all it is a very positive step forward. Chair Bennett said he has heard of people who live along Aliʻi Drive not being connected to the sewer. Director Kucharski said they should be connected, unless there was a variance. DPW was to verify the connections when the sewer went in, as it is a plumbing code issue. Discussion was held on how the EMC could request that the county explore options to distribute sewer costs to all residents and visitors. Chair Bennett instructed that the next agenda have a discussion about a broader allocation of Hawaiʻi County’s waste management costs. • State of the proposed Pāhala and Nāālehu WWTPsʻ: Meetings have been held with Pāhala on the EA that was issued. Due to the recent government shutdown, there has been a delay in responding to comments submitted, so there is not yet a final EA and decision. Last night they had a meeting in Nāālehu, wherʻe they explained that an EA was beginning for the facility