2019-03-27 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

Home

cesspools. The director made opposing statements. He said that wastewater doesn’t make people sick, and his proof is that county wastewater treatment plant workers are just as healthy as other people. But in his next statement, the director said he needs to close homeowner cesspools to protect the “ʻaina.” The director explains how wastewater lagoons won’t make people sick, yet says that wastewater cesspools in Pāhala and Nāālehu ʻ destroy the ʻaina. It is wrong for haoles to use a Hawaiian word that carries spiritual meaning. It is worse when they make money off of it and represent the government. Evangelism belongs in a church. The director’s job is civil engineering, not social engineering. It should also be noted that the chair did not attend the meetings in February and March for his district. At both meetings, the director did not answer peoples’ questions of how we got to where we are. He said he wasn’t around back then, but his staff was, and they could have been called on. Meanwhile, old sewer lines are crossing through yards and leaking, neighborhoods are run down, and property values are low. The county is not performing its core duty, because it is neglecting to install the new sewer lines in the street which were promised by Mayor Kim in 2004. Sandra Demoruelle: She understands she is not to discuss the lawsuit. Regarding the Pāhala wastewater project, Director Kucharski promised an EIS would be done, that there would be a DEA with a finding of no significant impact. They’re just wasting their time and money by not doing an EIS right up front. You can do an EISPN under Act 172- 2012, or you can do a public notice with no EA as should be done here, because it would clearly require preparation of an EIS for a large wastewater treatment plant in Pāhala. She and others are now seeking attorneys to sue, especially the people who are being paid to do this, who think they are going to get away with a finding of no significant impact. Regarding the Nāālehu project, she provided documentation for her lawsuit in hopes they ʻ can see for themselves it has not been properly presented by the county and lacks the required memorandum of law. On April 2 there will be a decision made, and if it is in her favor, she will be going to the county and talking to them about having an environmental statement on every single CIP project. They should not be moving forward without their environmental impact statements. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Chair’s update on water sustainability and water quality white paper and plans. Chair Bennett apologized that this item needs to be pushed to the April meeting, as he has been delayed with other matters. b. Status of subcommittee’s draft recommendations to the legislature on water reuse policy. Chair Bennett said he senses this item is going nowhere and asked if any commissioner wanted to move it forward and comment to the state legislature on the water reuse policy. There is a state administrative rule that fundamentally says an individual homeowner cannot use reclaimed water on his own home or property. This rule 2