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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0187.000 1996-1998 County Council Planning Committee Testimony for 1-21-97 RE: Communication 1125 -North Kohala Water Transmission Pipeline Good afternoon. Chairperson Leithead-Todd and committee members. My name is Richard Boyd from Hawi in North Kohala. I am Co-chair of Hui Lihikai and a member of the recently formed North Kohala Water Hui. t would like to briefly address two issues relating to communication 1125. First, that Chalon International is well aware of large scale community opposition to the pipeline project this land/services swap deals with. Secondly, this land/services swap and the project it deals with, run counter to the Kohala Power Resolution passed June 19, 1996 by the Hawaii County Council. First. Chalon's local management is well aware of the communities opposition to this and other projects that they have not had a part in planning. As early as April 1990, Duane Kanuha ,then County Planning Director, now a Vice President with Chalon, received communications from Toni Withington of Hui Lihikai stating that Chalon had largely ignored community input from the now defunct Community Participation Committee (CPC). As relates to the DWS project, Chalon representatives were present at the April 4,1995, DWS sponsored meeting on the pipeline, when about 300 local residents packed Kohala High School Cafetorium unanimously opposed to this project. So Chalon management cannot deny that they are supporting a project opposed by the majority of the community. Legally they are entitled. Morally they are i` bankrupt. r' r i ~ This project proposes using portable diesel generators to power the pumps (see ~ a ' ~ attached fact sheet). The North Kohala Community fought a successful seven month ~ m a ~ battle to prevent HELCO from installing two 2.2 MW diesel generators upwind of our o community which we view as a clean air sanctuary. HELCO held a community ~ meeting at the Kohala High School Cafetorium. At this meeting (attended by about 250 to 300 local residents) it was made abundantly clear that the community opposed any sort of polluting diesel fuel. Only one resident spoke in favor of the power plant. 8 Chalon representatives were present and witnessed this communities outrage. Again, flying in the face of local opposition Chalon continued to support the HELCO project by making available industrial zoned land. On June 19, 1996 the Hawaii County Council passed Resolution No. 317-96 known as the North Kohala Power Resolution. Mr. Arakaki and Mr. Smith will recall that occaision. This resolution has resulted in an ongoing alliance between our community and the County Research & Development Dept. to develop renewable, sustainable and non-polluting energy sources for North Kohala. If the County Council and this Committee have the power to rescind this ageement between The Department of Water Supply and Chalon, I urge you to take that action today. If the Council lacks the authority to rescind this agreement I urge you at the very least to pass a resolution asking the Department of Water Supply to reconsider this agreement. Please support the resolution of your preceding County Counc!l Mahalo. You will all find an invitation in your mail boxes, to attend a community meeting on the water issues to be held January 30, 1997 at 7PM in the Cafetorium at Kohala High . i1o~ liw __.J..4.L-, >rri. W P T" . Lief. To:_~nte Rnf. I)ete__._ FACT SHEET ON THE KOHALA WATER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM ALSO KNOWN AS "THE PIPELINE" These figures were put together by the "Save Our Water Committee". They were taken from The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). These facts were easily accessible but still not widely known unless you had an EIS in your possession. LITTLE KNOWN FACTS 1. There will be a total of twelve (12) wells. Six In phase one and six in phase two. 2. Each site will have 2 deep wells. Each well will have 2 2-Million Gallon a Day (MGD) pumps. 3. Each site will have One (1) one mega watt IED SEL generator. Each site will also have two (2) 5,200 gallon above ground diesel fuel storage vaults or tanks. These tanks vaults will be supplied by truck using Akonl Pule Highway. This will Impact our highway AND there is the -ever present threat of an oli spill. They say that these diesel generators will be used until HELCO can supply power. Does all this sound familiar ? This all adds up to a grand total of: 12 diesel generators-2 per site' 12-2 MGD pumps-2 per site 12 above ground fuel tanks vaults- 2 per site ' 6 sites with noise pollution 6 sites with air pollution ' This wtll Involve diesel tanker trucks, coming through our community all the way to Makapala and back, to keep these generators running and tanks supplied. All of this for a community that rejected HELCO's diesel power plant in Hala'ula The following tax map keys will be Ire tl impacted 5-2-05:1, 5-2-06:3, 5-3-03:1, 5-3-04:1, 5-4-03:2, 5-4-03:3, 5-5-02:23, 5-6-01:51, 5-9-03:4, 6-1-01:3, 6-2-01:63, 6-8-01:6. If you are in this area you will also be effected up to a half a mile depending on the wind or lack of same. It is importarrt to know that this pipeline Is NOT A DONE DEAL-YET It can be stopped. This time around, unlike the HELCO power plant, it wilt take community support as well as money. We have an attorney. He is experienced in water Issues but will need to get paid. You will receive a notice in the mall (hopefully in January) regarding a community meeting to organize the community opposition to this protect. You can help by goreading the word. Checks should be cede out to the Save our Cnildrens Water .These funds will go excl.isively for expenses relating to our opposition to the Pipeline protect.