HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0436.005 2020-2022 PIPAWMMC,
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To: Maile David, Chair and Member for the Hawaii County Council
From: Georjean Adams
Date: January 14, 2022
Subject: Re: Communication No.436.2 Regarding Department of Environmental
Management Wastewater Division Priorities, Challenges and Solutions
I
The attached is a summary of my personal recommendations for priorities for both the
Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Hawaii County Council to be
presented in testimony,to the Regenerative Agriculture,Water, Energy and Environmental
Management Committee meeting at the January 18, 2022, regarding Communications No.
378.3 (separate cover) and No. 436.2.
This represents my personal recommendations as informed by my participation on the
Environmental Management Commission (EMC), but I am not representing the EMC. (I have,
however, noted in blue text those recommendations that have been approved in previous EMC
communications with the Council.)
CD
Please distribute copies to the RAWEEM Committee members.
CDi
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Georjean Adams
georjean@gmaii.com
Comer No _
Ref. To: t`I
Ref. Date JAN 1 8 204
Georjean Adams` Priority Action Items for DEM/Council 1/14/22
(EMC Approved Positions in slue)
Overriding priorities:
#1 Ensure adequate resources to provide minimum public safety for waste management
• which should correspond to compliance, but not always
• which may mean cutting back on some free andjor convenient services
#2 Create dedicated,sustainable funding that supports maintenance and improvements
• including hiring of knowledgeable staff and contractors that can move Hawaii
County toward sustainability and generating revenue from resource recovery
Wastewater Management:
Recast wastewater management to be water resource recovery management
* Establish Enterprise Fund
Hire financial consultant-to advise on sustainable funding mechanisms
Use Energy Savings Performance Contracts and ether public-private partnerships
• Immediately fix imminent safety and failure hazards at WWTPs—focus on speed at
least cost to increase safety to minimum standards
• Begin rulemaking to require hookup to public or private wastewater treatment facilities
and provide low-cost loans to existing owners to do so and prohibit property sale
without sewer hookup.
Solid Waste Management:
0 ISWIVIP Implementation Top s priorities (of 82 recommendations)
o Education—enhance communication on kuleana to reduce/reuse/recycle
o Renegotiate WHSi contract with WM (ongoing) and HER
Additional household hazardous waste collection events—not critical now
Allow small businesses to recycle at Transfer Stations —for a reasonable fee
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Policies'ordinances for source reduction and recycling—carefully backed by LCA
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Life cycle impacts in setting and measuring goals - recyclable materials (ongoing)
• lSVVMP funding options:
o Establish Enterprise Fund -quit giving away services and resources
o New and increased fees and taxes, including current Extended Producer
Responsibility programs and explore feasibility of new EPR
o Reduced hours/days of Transfer Station collection
o Pay-As-You-Throw—begin feasibility study
• Support public-private partnerships for sustainable resource(vs waste) management.
a Enhance composting capabilities island-wide
o Reduce barriers for private recyclers