HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0119.005 2004-2006 February 23, 2,005 , o i C ~ ~ ~ ~
Mary James
Coordinator, Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group t;~-~
15 [kawa Place
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Chair Safarik and County Council Members
County of Hawaii
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Dear Chair Safarik and County Council Members,
Subject: Letter of Support for Funding a Hilo Bay Modeling Project (Bills 38 and 39)
The purpose of this letter is to express support for authorization of the County to appropriate (Bill 38) and
allocate (Bill 39) funds for the Hilo Bay Modeling Project.
Hilo Bay and its tributaries do not comply with all State of Hawaii water quality standards and were
therefore listed as `impaired' by the State Department of Health (DOH). As a result, the University of
Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant funds through
DOH to bring the Hilo Bay watershed into compliance with State water quality standards.
The Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group (HBWAG) was formed in July 2003 during the Public Input
Process, the first step in the EPA grant program. The HBWAG is a group of committed volunteers
established to represent the local community in addressing water quality and other watershed-related
issues. Current HBWAG participants include strong community supporters, staff from County Planning,
County Public Works and other agencies, UH Hilo staff, and County Council members. Working
collaboratively, UHM and HBWAG have completed the Public Input Process and are now working
together on the next step of the EPA grant program, developing a Restoration Plan for Hilo Bay.
Because the Hilo Bay breakwater and resulting circulation limitations and poor water quality were top
concerns raised during the public input process, the HBWAG formed a Breakwater Subcommittee. This
subcommittee has been collaborating with Public Works staff and the Hilo Harbormaster on the potential
development of a computer model of Hilo Bay to investigate ways to improve the water quality and
circulation. There is very little sampling data or other information about the bay circulation available.
Funding the Hilo Bay Modeling Project would be a significant step toward better understanding the bay
circulation and finding cost effective ways to improve Hilo Bay water quality and the health of the bay
ecosystem.
As representative of the HBWAG, 1 strongly support the funding of the Hilo Bay Modeling Project.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to comment on this upcoming decision.
Sincerely,
y~i ~ rrzivl-
Iv~a~r Janfes
Coordinator, Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group
aa i
~ The public input is documented in Hilo Bay Watershed Project Public Input Final Report, MayQOGltn. NO. I -1
Ref. To•Prese
Ref, ti~a!~ MAk 1 6
Cc: Harry Kim, Mayor
County of Hawaii
Donald Ikeda, County Councilman
District 2
Stacy Higa, County Councilman
Disrtict 4
Ian Bimie, District Manager
DOT Harbors Division (via email)
Clifford Fumkada, Environmental Health Specialist
DOH Clean Water Branch (via email)
Dr. Robert Nishimoto, Aquatic Biologist
DLNR-DAR (via email)
Bmce McClure, Director
County Public Works Department
Dc Kirsten Silvious, Principal Investigator
OH Manoa (via email)
Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group
Breakwater Subcommittee (via email)