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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0896.032 2022-2024 P/ LAA.c bill I(q GOMM.Bib cp From: Rebecca Melendez =c) Sent: Saturday,June 1, 2024 7:30 AM - --4 To: Council Testimony Subject: Oppose Bill 169 . Dear County Council, Please, look at the Big Island Resources before you keep approving more developments because the island resources need to be taken more seriously, because you have approved many years of future developments for hundreds, if not thousands of new homes that are currently being built and will be built in the next years to come and Big Island resources are having serious negative issues today from what has already been developed. Please, before more development is approved these resource issues need to be resolved for the safety of all who live here, all who will live here in the future from the homes that are in the process of being built that you have already approved, and all who visit here because the resorts have lost power as well. I write this with 345 signatures on this petition that are asking you to please, stop and look at what you are creating on the Big Island because the resources here are having serious negative issues with the developments it already has, and will have in the future that you have already approved for future developments, and this need to be addressed before you continue to approve more and more developments. Please see this petition https://www.change.org/p/help-prioritize-big-island- development-to-keep-island-s-resources-safe-for-all Please,take everyone's safety seriously and become aware of where the rubbish is going to go, how people will have water,will you turn off golf course water before you turn off resident water? I hope so. Is there going to be enough power to sustain residents, resorts,vacation rentals...because as of right now,the island resources are having issues sustaining everyone that already lives here and visits. Please, learn how to resolve these issues so that everyone can live comfortably because the island's resources are having issues sustaining all who live here now the articles below prove this. What do you think will happen if you don't STOP and look at the island's resource issues before you keep approving more and more land developments and don't take the island's resources more seriously? Please, read the articles from the links below that will show you the truth of what I am saying that Big Island resources are not sustaining the developments that you have already approved, so the future developments that you have already approved will be adding to these issues as well. When will you STOP and start looking at the island resources before you keep approving more developments? Please, oppose Bill 169 Kona Three LLC development and look at learning how to improve the island's resources before you keep approving more developments, or the island's people will have even more 1 Comm ► •I I.32 Ref.To: Ref.Date li; ® 4 2024 issues in the near future with resources needed and that the island doesn't have as of today.This needs to be taken seriously, please. https://www.change.org/p/help-prioritize-big-island-development-to-keep-island-s-resources-safe-for- all There are many more articles proving that the Big Island's resources are having issues providing for the developments that are already here. I have included 21 different articles. Please, research more so you can learn what issues need to be addressed and be able to solve these issues before approving more development that will just need resources the island doesn't have, and then keep adding to the problem. 1) Hawaii Deals with Burgeoning Waste Management Problem As landfills face closure and waste-to-energy projects stall, various counties in Hawaii are dealing with waste management issues. Waste360 Staff January 10, 2020 "Hawaii Island is in the enviable position of having a landfill with anywhere from 20 to 100 years of capacity left to take in trash. But the island still wrestles with significant issues like plastic products that are no longer being recycled." https://www.waste360.com/landfill/hawaii- deals-with-burgeoning-waste-management-problem 2) "Big Island Now readers seem to agree that there's likely no single solution for slowing down the timeline of theWest Hawaii Sanitary Landfill reaching capacity. The West Hawai'i Sanitary Landfill, the only remaining landfill on the Big Island, is forecast to reach capacity within the next 20 to 25 years." https://bigislandnow.com/2023/09/17/big- island-now-poll-no-27-results-more-than-one-solution-needed-to-help-extend-life-of- west-hawaii-landfill/ 3) Hawaii Island Has Decades of Landfill Space But Still Faces Challenges In Dealing With Its Waste Hawai'i Public Radio Published January 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM HST "Hawaii Island is in the enviable position of having a landfill with anywhere from 20 to 100 years of capacity left to take in trash. But the island still wrestles with significant issues like plastic products that are no longer being recycled. For the past four decades, trash from the east side of Hawaii Island has been dumped in a landfill outside of Hilo. But now trash from all parts of the island is being trucked to a facility north of Kona." https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2020-01-09/hawaii-island- has-decades-of-landfill-space-but-still-faces-challenges-in-dealing-with-its-waste 4)"What happens to Hawaii Island's trash and recyclables? BY MICHELLE BRODER VANdyke HAWAII ISLAND PUBLISHED 11:30 AM ET DEC. 17, 2022 By Michelle Broder Vandyke Hawaii Island PUBLISHED 11:30 AM ET Dec. 1The future of the landfill The West Hawaii Landfill will be full in about 20 years. Finding a location for the next landfill is a concern, according to the DEM officials. They said it will be challenging to find a location for a future landfill because of stringent regulations and costs related to planning, environmental 2 . regulations, design and construction that will take many years to complete. It will also require community support." https://spectrumlocalnews.com/hi/hawaii/news/2022/12/15/what- happe s-to-hawaii-island-s-trash-and-recyclables 5) "The overwhelming plastic waste Hawaii visitors leave behind By Natasha BourlinAug 24, 2023 Hawaii saw more than 9 million visitors last year. Those tourists' first stops are often big-box and convenience stores, where they buy bottled water, plastic sand toys, single-use bodyboards, noodles, floaties and inner tubes for their trips." https://www.sfgate.com/hawaiif article/plastic-waste-hawaii-visitors-leave- behind-18286076.php 6) "A county commission drafts ordinance aiming to ban recyclables at West Hawai'i landfill By Megan Moseley September 6, 2023 • 1:00 AM HST * Updated September 6, 2023 • 2:02 PM Hawai'i County's Environmental Management Commission is developing an ordinance that aims to prohibit the amount of recyclable materials ending up in the island's only working landfill." https://bigislandnow.com/2023/09/06/new-draft-ordinance-aims-to-ban- recyclables-at-west-hawaii-landfill/ 7) " Hawai'i County issues mandatory 25% water restriction for North Kona August 7, 2023 • 5:21 PM HST A mandatory 25% water restriction has been issued for various communities in North Kona due to the failure of the HonokOhau Deepwell over the . weekend." https://bigislandnow.co rI ,f 2023/08/07/hawaii-county-issues-mandatory-25- water-restriction-for-north-kona/ 8) "Hawai'i Water Supply Closely Monitored As Severe Drought Continues by Big Island Video Newson Nov 6, 2023 at 3:28 pm STORY SUMMARY HAWAI'I COUNTY - Officials say a special focus will be placed on the South Kohala Water System, which is more susceptible to drought conditions." https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2023/11/06/water-supply-closely- monitored-as-hawai%CA%BBi-under-severe-drought/ 9) "Big Island Concerns About Water Quality Prompt A Lawsuit Over A Kona Sewage Plant Kealakehe sewage plant discharges more than 1 million gallons of wastewater into a lava pit near the ocean. By Paula Dobbyn / February 6, 2024 Settlement talks are scheduled in an environmental lawsuit involving a county-operated Big Island sewage plant in Kona." https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/02/concerns-about-water- quality-prompt-a-lawsuit-over-a-ko ia-sewage-pla t/ 3 10) "Researchers find sewage from an oceanfront Big Island community reaches nearshore waters Hawai'i Public Radio I By Russell Subiono, Sophia McCullough Published December 20, 2021 at 5:56 PM HST There are nearly 50,000 cesspools on the Big Island, with tens of thousands posing a risk to water resources, according to the Hawai'i Department of Health. https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/the-conversation/2021-12-20/researchers- find-sewage-from-an-oceanfront-big-island-community-reaches-nearshore-waters 11) Has this issue been fixed? It's going on 3 years since this article was written. "Kona coast faces stark wastewater tradeoffs Current situation There are approximately 88,000 cesspools across the state, releasing more than 200,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day to the environment. https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2021/09/10/kona-stark-wastewater- tradeoffs/ 12) "BIG ISLAND NEWS HECO restores power after initiating emergency outages on Big Island by: Elizabeth 'Ufi Posted:Jan 30, 2024 / 09:43 AM HST Updated:Jan 30, 2024 / 04:15 PM HST An unexpected loss of several large Hawaii Electric generators left some residents on Big Island without power for parts of the morning on Tuesday,Jan. 30." https://www.khon2.com/big- island-news/heco-initiates-30-min-rolling-outages-after-loss-of-generators/ 13) Hawai'i State News Update: Hawaiian Electric initiates rolling outages throughout Big Island February 13, 2024 • 5:23 PM HST * Updated February 14, 2024 . 4:21 PM The emergency outages are being initiated in various areas around the entire island to prevent loss of power to an even greater number of customers. The timing and extent of the outages will depend on the amount of demand on the system and the availability of generators." https://bigislandnow.com/2024/02/13/hawaii-island-customers-asked-to- reduce-electricity-use/ 14) "LOCAL NEWS HECO issues rolling power outages around Big Island by: Emily Cervantes Posted: Feb 13, 2024 / 05:11 PM HST Updated: Feb 13, 2024 / 09:12 PM HST Hawaiian Electric initiated rolling outages for Big Island after several large generators became unavailable and reduced output Tuesday night." https://www.khon2.com/local-news/heco-releases-conservation-alert-for-big-island/ 15) "Here's how power outages can have repercussions for Hawai'i's water supply Hawai'i Public Radio I By Savannah Harriman-Pote Published February 13, 2024 at 10:59 AM HST 4 • Water departments on O'ahu and Hawai'i Island have advised customers to conserve water ahead of possible storm-related power outages this month. But what does the power grid have to do with the water supply? It is impossible to separate Hawai'i's power system from its water system, said Kawika Uyehara, deputy director of Hawai'i County's Department of Water Supply." https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2024-02-13/residents-on-hawaii- island-and-oahu-are-asked-to-conserve-water-amid-power-outages 16) U.S. Hawaii is "on the verge of a greater catastrophe," locals say, as water crisis continues By Li Cohen Updated on:April 11, 2024/8:23 AM EDT/CBS News In Hawaii, one of the most important sayings is ola i ka wai, "water is life"—a phrase that not only sums up what it means to exist on an island, but what it means to live, period. But now, one of the largest of the island chain's land masses is facing a triple threat to its sole freshwater source, and if it isn't addressed soon, one community member says, "we're in deep trouble." https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hawaii-water-crisis-climate-change/ 17) NewsHawai'i County issues mandatory 25%water restriction for North Kona August 7, 2023 • 5:21 PM HS A mandatory 25%water restriction has been issued for various communities in North Kona due to the failure of the HonokOhau Deepwell over the weekend. https://bigislandnow.com/2023/08/07/hawaii-county-issues-mandatory-25-water-restriction-for-north- kona/ 18) Hawaii Water Supply Closely Monitored As Severe Drought Continues by Big Island Video News on Nov 6, 2023 at 3:28 pm (BIVN)—With an ongoing drought on the island of Hawaii,the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply says it is closely monitoring its 23 public water systems,with a "special focus" placed on the South Kohala Water System. https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2023/11/06/water-supply-closely-monitored-as-haws i%CA%BBi- under-severe-drought/ 19) Power Outage Issues because the power company actually has scheduled power outages https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/safety-and-outages/power-outages 5 20) r/Biglsland r/BiglslandJoin Aloha! This is a community of Big Island redditors. 28KMembers8Online •2 mo. agomadazzahatter Hawaiian Electric is reporting that several large generators on the Big Island are experiencing a range of issues and may lead to the need for rolling outages if supply does not meet demand. https://www.reddit.com/r/Bigisland/comments/1bnuar3/hawaiian electric is reporting that several la rge/?rdt=52660 21) NewsHawaiian Electric asking Big Island customers to conserve power due to down generators March 25, 2024 . 11:49 AM HST According to the utility company,this is an usual situation as the large generators are experiencing mechanical problems resulting in a reduced output.The largest generator, an independent power producer that sells electricity to Hawaiian Electric, is offline with significant mechanical issues. The plant generates 60 megawatts or nearly one-third of the typical peak demand of 180 megawatts on the island. https://bigislandnow.com/2024/03/25/hawaiian-electric-asking-big-island-customers-to-conserve- power-due-to-down-generators/ These articles show that Big Island resources are currently being negatively affected from the development on island, and there are years of new development that has already been approved, and even more development is still being approved before learning if the island's resources can handle more development. This needs to STOP, and island resources need to be addressed and taken seriously. Thank you, Rebecca Melendez •