HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0494.005 2020-2022 F/ RAMEEMC,
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SIERRA CLUB
:. O F HAWAI'I
Testimony to
HAWAI`1 COUNTY COUNCIL
COMMITTEE ON REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, WATER, ENERGY &
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT I
November 16, 20212 PM West Hawaii Civic Center
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COMMENTS on Communication 494.1:
REQUEST TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE 2017 KEAUHOU WATER USE 5
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Aloha Chair Richards, Vice Chair Inaba, and members of the Committee on
Regenerative Agriculture, Water, Energy & Environmental Management,
The Sierra Club of Hawaii, on behalf of its 27,000 members and supporters, offers the
following comments on the Keauhou Water Use and Development Plan, respectfully
urging your consideration of 1) an adaptive management plan as proposed by the
National Park Service, and 2) the opportunity to fully explore alternative source
development that can both conserve groundwater resources while reducing the
potential impacts of wastewater discharge on the nearshore environment.
As an initial matter, the Sierra Club expresses its great appreciation for the years of
hard work that has gone into this update to the Keauhou Water Use and Development
Plan (Keauhou WUDP). It is clear that much effort has been put into addressing
community concerns regarding public trust purposes that may be impacted even if
additional source development and increased withdrawals remain below the estimated
sustainable yield for the Keauhou Aquifer Area. In addition, the Club appreciates
commitments made to avoid siting new wells in areas that are highly likely to impact the
natural and cultural resources found in and around the Kaloko Honokohau National
Historical Park, and the WUDP's contemplated use of monitoring wells to actively
assess such impacts.
With regards to the latter, however, the Sierra Club does understand that questions
remain regarding where monitoring wells will be placed, how they will be
monitored, and how changes to groundwater conditions may trigger additional
protections for the natural and cultural resources of the Kaloko Honokahau
National Historical Park, which serves as an irreplaceable, living repository of the
natural and cultural heritage of the region. The Sierra Club further understands that the
National Park Service has submitted a draft adaptive management plan that may
provide clarity on these critically important questions. Accordingly, the Sierra Club
respectfully urges your consideration and adoption of this adaptive management
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plan, which the Club notes would also fulfill the State Water Resource Protection
Plan 2019 Update's Action Plan Goal 1, Project 1.7, Task 1.7.2.'
The Sierra Club further notes that any additional withdrawals of groundwater from the E
Keauhou Aquifer Area may also result in increased wastewater production, which, due
to the county's current utilization of injection wells, will only exacerbate the already
concerning nutrient and chemical loads in nearshore areas such as the Kaloko
Honokohau National Historical Park and the adjacent Honokohau Small Boat Harbor.
To both reduce the need for additional groundwater withdrawals, and further reduce
wastewater discharges that may lead to the degradation of important environmental,
cultural, social, and economic resources, the Sierra Club accordingly urges both the
County and the Water Commission to fully explore and plan for the adoption of
alternative water sources, including specifically wastewater reuse, within the
Keauhou WUDP. This would be consistent with the recent policy adopted by the
County's Environmental Management Commission, which calls for the Kealakehe
Wastewater Treatment Plant to be designated as a Water Resource Recovery Facility
that will recover and recycle municipal wastewater for local agriculture.
As a final note, the Sierra Club highlights the recent passage of the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Bill, and the pending passage of the Build Back Better Act, both of which
could represent an unprecedented and transformational opportunity to invest in much-
needed water infrastructure development and upgrades. This opportunity only
further counsels the exploration of innovative water use, re-use, and alternative
source development approaches within the Keauhou WUDP, which may uplift the
Keauhou Aquifer Area as a model for climate-resilient, holistic water
management.
Mahalo nui for your consideration of this testimony.
Sincerely,
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Wayne Tanaka, Director
Sierra Club of Hawaii
See COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT,WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION PLAN:2019 UPDATE
63(2019)available at https://files.hawaii.gov/dl2/cWrM/pianning/Wr 2019update/WP 201907.pdf.
Sierra Club Testimony
Nov. 16, 2021 - Page 2 of 2