HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 273 Draft 01 2006-2008 tv w x~~
COUNTY OF HAWAII ~y STATE OF HAWAII
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RESOLUTION NO. 2~3 07
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
TO NEGOTIATE ATHREE-YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY
OF HAWAII AT HILO, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, AND
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR THE USE OF 120 ACRES OF COUNTY
LAND AT KOHOLALELE (TMK 4-2-5:001) IN PA`AUILO, HAWAII TO CONDUCT
BIOFUEL CROP EXPERIMENTATION.
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Hilo is interested in negotiating athree-year
lease and/or a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the County of Hawaii to lease 120
acres of land to conduct bio diesel research; and
WHEREAS, the negotiated lease agreement and/or MOA is subject to obtaining the
necessazy external funding to conduct the proposed research, and obtaining the necessazy
approval from the UH-Boazd of Regents to utilize County land for reseazch purposes; and
WHEREAS, the County of Hawaii owns the 1,040 acre pazcel bordering Koholalele
Gulch in Pa`auilo, Hawaii (TMK 4-2-5:001); and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), chapter 2,
article 19, section 2-120(a)(2) provides that the Council of the County of Hawaii may, by
resolution approved by a majority of its members, direct the finance director to negotiate the
lease of real property to govenvnents or governmental agencies at such rentals and on such terms
and conditions as deemed proper; and
WHEREAS, on April 17, 2007 Dr. William Steiner, Dean of the University of Hawaii
at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources gave a presentation to the
Human Services and Economic Development Committee, chaired by Council Member Emily I.
Naeole, regazding reseazch into the feasibility of growing various tropical plants and trees for
biofuel production in Hawaii County; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Natural Resource Management is prepazed to plant various biofuel crops to determine which
crops will produce the highest yields in various elevations and soil types on Hawaii Island; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Natural Resources has identified 120 acres located within the Koholalele property that would be
ideal for the planting of these test crops; and
WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Natural Resource Management have agreed that there will be no planting of genetically modified
organisms (GMO's) on this property; and
WHEREAS, the development of a strong biofuel crop would provide an opportunity to
utilize the now fallow former sugar cane land in the County of Hawaii for agricultural
production; and
WHEREAS, this new agricultural venture would allow Hawaii Island to expand its
agricultural roots while stimulating the economy and allowing Hawaii to become self-sustaining
in meeting its energy needs; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Council has approved infrastructure upgrades for the
Pu`uanahulu landfill which allows for composting and biofuel production facilities to be
constructed; and
WHEREAS, used vegetable oil, green waste and oil plants will be collected and then
used to produce biofuel at the Pu`uanahulu landfill; and
WHEREAS, the development of biofuel industry could result in a drastic decrease in the
amount of fossil fuel sources that are imported to the Hawaiian Islands to meet the states energy
needs; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELLO) has announced plans to use
biodiesel fuels in its generators located in the County of Hawaii currently burning fossil fuels;
and
WHEREAS, Hawaii Electric Company (HECO) and Maui Electric Company (MECO)
both have plans underway to run their new electricity generators on 100 percent renewable
biofuel if they are able to locate a fuel source capable to meeting their consumption demands;
and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Council would like to take the lead in the State of
Hawaii to help put an end to our State's dependency on fossil fuels that aze costly and must be
imported from the continental United States while at the same time encouraging the creation of a
biofuel industry that could be financially feasible for local fanners in Hawaii County; now
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the
Mayor and the Director of Finance are authorized to enter into athree-yeaz lease agreement for a
nominal fee with the University of Hawaii at Hilo; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this lease agreement will contain an option for a
two-yeaz extension and that additional extensions beyond the five-year period shall be approved
by the Hawaii County Council by resolution; and
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BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Mayor Harry Kim, Finance Director, and the University of Hawaii
at Hilo, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management.
INT DUCED BY:
V~-•
COUNCIL MEMBE~,, O F HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
COllTlty Of HaWal`1 AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawaii FGRD
HIGA
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by HOFFMANN
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the IKEDA
County of Hawaii on
JACOBSON
NAEOLE
ATTEST: PILAGO
YAGONG
YOSHIMOTO
Reference: C-549lFC
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRMAN & PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 2"I3 O~
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