2019-03-27 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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Business Advisory Committee, some items are easily accessible and reasonably priced. However, the plastic products have to be able to handle high temperatures and are several times higher priced. After further discussion about recycling and getting to zero waste, Commissioner Gaffney stated that for the record, a monofilament fishing line recycling program is being started at Honokōhau Harbor. They hope to expand it to the other harbors on the island. They have found a buyer and are working with the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and Hawaiʻi Big Game Fishing Club, who are creating bins to go near the garbage cans. Mr. Hayducsko said to let him know when it’s up, and they’ll put it on their website. Chair Bennett asked Director Kucharski to continue with his report. (1) Status of the proposed Pāhala and Nāālehu Wastewater Treatment ʻ Plants. The department and consultants with Brown & Caldwell had a meeting in Pāhala regarding funding sources for newly accessible parties, since the Code requires connection if a sewer is accessible to the home. They discussed what alternatives there are to fund the costs. (5) Testimony submitted to the State Legislature. Commissioners were provided his testimony on four bills. Chair Bennett directed the meeting back to Unfinished Business, item j. j. Follow-up discussion on Councilmember Tim Richards’ request that the Commission examine a more equitable distribution of costs for wastewater management. Chair Bennett said that Councilmember Richards had asked the EMC to think about how the cost of wastewater management could be more equitably distributed, as it seems unfair that some people have to pay to connect to a sewer lateral when everybody in the county benefits from sewering. He will be meeting with Councilmember Richards and asked if anyone wanted to join him. Commissioner Gaffney wanted to. 5. NEW BUSINESS Begin a discussion examining Hawaiʻi County’s roles, options, and constraints on funding, including using a public-private partnership to provide sewer services to the non-sewered regions of South Aliʻi Drive and Keauhou Bay. Chair Bennett said there is a significant interest in West Hawaiʻi to continue sewering the parts of Aliʻi Drive that are not sewered. There is a stretch of about 60 homes that are on cesspits. The homes on the Keauhou peninsula that are in cul-de-sacs are also 10