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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0354.028 2024-2026P l Cpwc, cJOW. _ojrA From: Jasmine Steiner Sent: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:05 AM To: Council Testimony Subject: Testimony Opposing Waika Consulting's Dangerous Agenda Regarding G�othermal Drilling and Its Deceptive Practices r. Attachments: poster saying no to desecration of volcano.png <-- �CD c Z.,= v p {Sent monday july 7 2025 at 10:00 am for the Waika presentation july 8th 2025 at 3pm) _� �,I ry �� Testimony Opposing Waika Consulting's Dangerous Agenda Regarding Geothermal Drilling ,id Ilk Deceptive Practices r Aloha Chair, Vice -Chair, and members of the Committee. My name is Jasmine Sara Steiner. I was born in 1988 in a once beautiful Puna , and raised in a "sunken acre" on Mohala Street in Leilani Estates, literally at the base of Hawaii's only Geothermal . As a lifelong resident of Puna, Hawaii, my testimony today is not just to oppose the funding for geothermal exploration on Hawaiian Home Lands, but to unequivocally expose the dangerous and diabolical lies being propagated by Waika Consulting across our island. Waika Consulting is actively selling a narrative that geothermal is the "cleanest form of energy," claiming "no emissions" and that it's "all protecting the ecosystem." Let me be absolutely clear: This is a blatant, destructive falsehood. Mililani Trask herself knows this as she was the lawyer fighting the same cause we are back in the day due to drilling our deity being a total desecration, until agendas bought her and she flipped 180 on her own culture and people. As someone who has lived and breathed the reality of geothermal for decades, I can attest that this is a scheme for exploitation, fueled by misinformation, and it is absolutely brainless to suggest otherwise. The idea that geothermal is a "firm power" in Hawaii is another dangerous lie that waika consulting is selling. Our island sits on an active volcano. Lava can and will come at any time, wiping out these facilities, rendering any investment meaningless and exacerbating environmental devastation. This isn't theoretical; it's our lived reality. In 2018 , no one even noticed that the geothermal was offline for years, we had no disruptions . It only provides a mere 13% electricity. No matter how hard they try to suck out more, Tutu Pele will not allow it. For 40 years, our community has suffered the unmonitored and unregulated consequences of geothermal operations in our backyards. ANY and ALL GEOTHERMAL IS A DESECRATION no matter whose hands are doing it. It all uses the same life ending procedures and toxins. The damage done by 2025 is already irreversible. My own father is medically diagnosed with 90% mercury poisoning, directly caused by the toxins released from the unregulated geothermal plant near our home. I, too, have multiple chronic illnesses, diagnosed as a result of daily exposure to this poisoning. My own child has been withdrawn from public school because they cannot withstand the toxic geothermal air every morning. These are not isolated incidents; these are the tragic realities for countless families in the geothermal radius. The land itself is dying, all under a false guise of "clean energy" peddled by entities like Waika Consulting. This exploration, involving drilling and fracking on an active volcano, is not only an environmental catastrophe in the making but a profound insult.to our cultural beliefs and practices. It is a desecration of Pele's domain and a blatant disregard for the 'aina that sustains us. How can we, as children of Hawaii, condone such disrespect for our land and our cultural heritage, especially when consultants like Waika Consulting are actively promoting this destructive path? S . 3 TV Comm. © GU thrlin Ref. To: 1 Ref. Date OL — 8 2025 Beyond the devastating health and cultural impacts, the environmental consequences are equally alarming. Geothermal operations directly threaten several critically endangered endemic species within critical habitats. To pursue energy at the expense of our unique and fragile ecosystem is short-sighted, irresponsible, and frankly, criminal. It is mind -boggling that this committee would even consider allocating funds for further exploration, particularly given that our community is currently engaged in an unprecedented legal battle, with an injunction against geothermal operations headed to the Supreme Court. The continued influence of groups like Waika Consulting despite this legal challenge demonstrates a shocking disregard for the concerns of the people and a deeply offensive dismissal of generations of struggle for environmental justice, not to mention that the still standing ROYAL HOUSE says NO to more geothermal (making this whole agenda even more treasonous). Let me be absolutely clear: Waika Consulting has NO SUPPORT from any genuine community member in Hawaii . Their so-called "community outreach" meetings are a sham. I have personally witnessed their representatives scream at community members, tell us all to "shut up," and declare that nothing we say or feel about this desecration matters, because they will "do it anyway no matter how many rise." (I can provide videos to substantiate this testimony.) This aggressive and dismissive behavior is not engagement; it is outright contempt for the very people they claim to serve. We cannot and will not trust Waika Consulting when they actively erase and conceal the true reactions from the community. They deliberately scrub any presence of opposition from their "Waika Power for the People Hawaii" social media pages, attempting to trick the world into believing there is no dissent. This is the exact same tactic ORMAT has employed for decades, while the people of Puna continue to suffer and die from geothermal emissions. This is not about progress; it is about exploitation and silencing resistance. As a direct response to these ongoing struggles, I founded KahuPuna, a community organization dedicated to advocating for accurate geothermal education and supporting those in our community who have been silenced and ignored for generations. We have witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of geothermal development, and we cannot allow further desecration of our land and harm to our people. My immediate goal is to establish a small air monitoring and communication hub for disaster response within the geothermal radius on the Puna coast, and i cannot allow this to happen to other families on our island. We , the community that has been fighting geothermal for 55 years, won't allow it . This is a highly dangerous environment that cannot be dismissed or ignored any longer, especially as you consider funding more of it, influenced by the deceptive narratives of Waika Consulting. The claim that funding for geothermal exploration is "necessary" for Hawaiian Home Lands is a manipulative ultimatum, often promoted by those with a vested interest in geothermal expansion, including consultants like Waika Consulting. It falsely pits the legitimate need for land against the very health and well-being of our community. This is unacceptable. We should not be forced to sacrifice our health and cultural heritage for the promise of land. There are other, truly sustainable and culturally appropriate ways to address the land needs of native Hawaiians, without falling prey to the deceptive practices of consultants like Waika Consulting. Finally, I urge you to consider the ethical implications of allowing the continued spread of Waika Consulting's dangerous misinformation and the influence they wield. We, the people of Hawaii, have repeatedly voiced our unequivocal opposition to geothermal expansion. We have shared our stories of suffering and loss. We have demanded that our voices be heard. It is your kuleana, your responsibility, as representatives of the people, to listen to our concerns and act in our best interests. You work for us, not for the profits of consultants peddling lies. There has been no genuine consultation with the people of Hawaii as these plans are pushed forward — it's the same old pattern of doing things behind our backs. Therefore, I implore you to reject any initiatives influenced by Waika Consulting's deceptive agenda. Choose the health of our community, the preservation of our culture, and the protection of our environment over the profits of a few and the misleading campaigns of organizations like Waika Consulting. Choose Aloha 'Aina. Choose justice. It is criminal to continue to entertain this while you know the suffering we endure. I am looking forward to seeing you all do the right thing. #AOLEPGV #PGVINJUNCTION2024 Thank you. Jasmine Steiner KAHUPUNA Aloha Activism wearepuna(Zgmail.com one of many videos in waika meetings --> https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1 GBW1i82xJa/ ( you can find all on kahupuna youtube of waika TRASK screaming at community members to shut up and how we dont matter no matter what we do they gonna "do it anyway" at www.youtube.com/(&-kahupuna )