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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0737.000 1996-1998 Post Office Box 30 PUNA 143860 Kapoho Pahoa Rd. GEOTHERMAL VENTURE Pahoa, Hawaii 96778 _ Telephone (808) 965-6233 Facsimile (808) 965-7254 February 2Q 1998 HAWAII ~ 1 --i The Honorable James Arakaki, Chairman County Council of the County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Dear Councilman Arakaki, At the end of 1995, PGV provided Hawaii's Congressional delegation with a copy of a Regulatory Oversight Summary for the period ending November 1, 1995. We prepared such a report to address questions that had been raised as to the level of oversight by State and County regulators due to budgetary constraints. Quite the contrary, we noted that Dr. Bruce Anderson, Deputy Director of Health, had asserted that PGV continues to be one of the most highly regulated projects in the State of Hawaii. We have prepared an updated summary as of the end of December, 1997 and have enclosed a copy for your use. PGV continues our "good neighbor" policy. We wish to share with you an internal document entitled Community Relations Plan Accomplishments for the year ended December, 1997. We have more recently assisted Pahoa School in their endeavor to send 15 students to New Zealand to study the Maori culture and compare it to the Hawaiians and to study geothermal. We hope the information is useful to you. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me. Very truly yours, G J ck A. Dean Vice President and General Manager ref 0298coh fi1MMq~ Yw~..=--- F.G r A Hawaii Partnership ~ Puna Geothermal Venture Regulatory Oversight Summary December 31, 1997 DLNR Inspections Daily week-day visits by Mr. Eric Tanaka of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) continued throughout 1997, except for the holidays. Mr. Tanaka, with his extensive drilling and well-control experience has field responsibility for the management of the State-owned geothermal resource, as well as the "eyes and ears" of other State and County regulators. Mr. Tanaka serves as the lead regulator for the government agencies in the State. He routinely arrives on-site between 10 a.m. and I p.m. While sequence of stops vary, his first stop is generally the PGV Control Room (CSC) to obtain general information about activities during the preceding 24 hours (or 48 hours on Mondays) and to verify that no upset conditions occurred. While at CSC, he observes total flow rates, temperatures, pressures, and total power generated. He reviews the Site Activity Bulletin Boazd which indicates activities occurred as well as being planned. He queries the Plant Technician of any upset conditions and any and all irregularities aze noted in his daily report. Mr. Tanaka will then meet with the general manager or the financial manager and well-field supervisor, if necessary. Routinely, Mr. Tanaka visits the well pads inspecting for any conditions reflecting problems or potential problems. Observations requiring other regulatory agencies would be reported to the respective agencies. Each production well head is inspected for integrity and proper operation while observing operating temperatures and pressures and well-head growth. Any irregularities aze included in his daily report to Honolulu. Injector well are also inspected for temperature, pressure, injection flow rates, and nitrogen pressures. nP~artment of Health I~pections 1) Noise ivionitoring and Meteorological and Air Quality lydonitoring Programs As required by the Department of Health permits, a third party consultant, The Environmental Company (TEC) is retained for the independent monitoring of noise and air quality emissions from the facility. While PGV is responsible for immediate reporting of occurrences as defined in the permits, data from the fixed stations located outside the perimeter of the PGV site are carefully monitored and analyzed by TEC technicians. TEC submits a written report to PGV each month, and PGV submits same to the Department of Health. 2) Oversight by Department of Health (Clean Air Branch) Mr. Glenn Kawanishi of the Department of Health is the lead contact person of this branch and is responsible for the enforcement of the PGV Permit to Operate (Power Plant and Wellfield). Ms. Lisa McPheazson of DOH's Air Laboratories has monitoring responsibilities of the two DOH monitors. The DOH operates air quality/meteorological stations in the vicinity of the power plant. Under this arrangement, Mr. Kawanishi stated that Ms. McPhearson visits each station twice a week. She remains in frequent contact with TEC technicians. Permit enforcement will remain the responsibility of Mr. Kawanishi and the Honolulu office of the DOH.. TEC operates the three PGV owned monitoring stations, A, B, and C. DOH personnel have direct access to PGV's data collected via modem, thus compiles and analyzes data from all five stations. Audits for each station aze conducted. 3) Oversight by Department of Health (Noise and Radiation Branch) Each of the fixed monitoring stations aze equipped with noise monitoring equipment. Data from all stations aze collected and analyzed both by TEC and DOH. Any irregularities from the review are immediately reported to PGV and DOH-Honolulu. 4) Oversight by Department of Health (Safe Drinking Water Branch) PGV is regulated by the State Underground Injection Control (UIC) Permit, issued by the Department of Health. Mr. Chauncey Hew of the Safe Drinking Water Branch is responsible for permit enforcement. Although Mr. Hew has made several site inspections, data and other information submitted by PGV aze primarily reviewed by him in Honolulu- Ground water contamination is of vital concern, thus the permit requires weekly, bi-monthly and quarterly monitoring and reports and includes a Mechanical Integrity Test (MIT) test of each of the injection wells annually. The latest MIT was completed in November. ~ Quarterly meeting with Environmental Management Division of DOH Although not a permit requirement, the Generai Manager of PGV and/or the Financial Manager meet at least quarterly with Mr. Tom Arizumi, Chief of the Environmernal Management Division of DOH. The primary purpose of these meeting have been to provide a forum for open . dialogue. A meeting with Mr. Arizumi was held in Honolulu on December 10. Deputy Director Bruce Anderson was briefed on the project status on December 18. 6) Oversight by County of Hawaii Compliance with the Geothermal Resource Pemut issued by the Planning Commission of the County of Hawaii remains under the cormol of the Planning Director. The PGV General Manager and/or Financial Manager regularly meet with the Planning Director and/or staff to inform them of PGV's activities. The last meeting was held on December 17 at the County offices with County planner, Mr. Norman Hayashi. Summary of Reports to County and State Regulators of PGV A one-page chart of all reports submitted to the various regulatory agencies, including frequency, has been prepared and attached. ref. regatv97 I. PUMA GEOTHERMAL VEN'. RE Permit Required Reporting/Sampling , . ?.~~~.i"iFern+~YiCa(erTWdtnotG+9:.~ Water l<veVWIItT Bi-Monthly Wster Operative Monitor Sample Hydrologic Survey MW-l,2 Malama - Kl, GTW-3, Sample MW-1 Keoaepoko oui k Point MW-2 MW-2 Pahoa Public Related Permit DLNR GRP DLNR GRP DGNR GRP Frequmry 3 x Weekly Bi-Monthly Quarterly pg~, No[ifiotiw Nil Nil Nil Samples to E.L TEC (Randr)b Otyer Pacific - Resuts to Handle Sampling Reporting Dsta to DH Weekly DH Reporting Analytical ' Compmy N/A E.L Pa~c EL Pacific ..:.;ermai?Mid/GakMwiFttut4 ~3;xe?jsr^m.:r.`~z°^~k::~.. ,.;_..;3i~:i Injectale Non- Injectate Sample Condesssihle Gas Injectate Sample Njecfate Sample Opentlon Analyst Type 1 Type 1 Analyst Type H Analysis Type m peothdd gnalysb Sample Sample Tap Sampb Tap Sample Tap point MJeciion Well) Sample Tap (NCG) Mjectiw Well) (In~ectiw Well) KS9 ~ KS10 DOH-PTO We Related (Cond20 - Permit DOH-UIC DOH-UIC DOH-1RC DOH-UIC NESHSHAPS) •Biawtudly! Frequency Mwtlily Monthly Quarterly Quarterly Annually 7 Day Notim 7 Dry NWCe Notificatiw Nil Nil to Witness to W'Ntaa Nd j-, Samples to Sample m Samples to EL Sample b EL Samples to Other Thmmch®Rmlb Thermochera Results Pacific RtauHs b Pacific Resslb W Thmmchem Reporting to DH to DH DH DH to DH Amlytiral Company Thermochem Thermachem EL PariSc EL Pacific Thermochem • Hiswusliy should HaS mumtraute flucbWe+/- IO%5nm previws analyst / Amually if oo veriana ' ~ , z... . c_~,..y...t Pzodudlod Vlsual Wellhead Injedlota We? psojed Staten Meteorobde Opentlon Injectlon Report Inspertlon Staten Report Repoli Report Nair - Dlyd- Sample All Prodretiw Point N/A Injectiw Welb N/A N/A N/A ~-~N/A 'N/A V'N/A Related DOH-Red t DOHL7rn DOH-Clru Pemdt DOH-UIC DI.NR DOH-LIIC DLNR DOH-iJ1C GRP DOHLIem Air Now A'v Ale Frequmry Monody Weekly Quarterly Semi-Amual Monthy M AtmuaHy Agency NotJc+lion N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Other Data to DH Data to DH Data to OH Data to DH Data to DH Daub DH Data to DH Dahto DH Repotting Analytical Company N/A N/A N/A N/A TEC TEC N/A NIA Post Office Box 30 I U~ 143860 Kapoho Pahoa Rd. GEOTHERMAL VEMURE Pahoa, Hawaii 96778 Telephone (808) 965-6233 Facsimile (808) 965-7254 HAWAI I PUNA GEOTHERMAL VENTURE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS 1997 Plan Objective: It has been the policy of Puna Geothermal Venture to be good neighbors and to strive to become part of the community and to be a good corporate citizen. Consistent with these goals, the objective of the community relations plan is to effectively communicate our efforts in a positive and proactive manner. PGV as a member of the community: Beyond PGV as an entity, our employees are a reflection of who we aze and we encourage ail members of the team to become part of their community, participating in church, business and community groups. Many of our employees are active in their respective churches, serving in various leadership positions; several are board members of neighboring community associations, such as Leilani Association and Hawaiian Paradise Park Association; others participate in business organizations and chamber activities. PGV has participated in "Adopt a Highway" program, Hawaii Island United Way, Food Bank of Hawari, Feed the Hungry, Special Olympics, Pahoa High School athletic program sponsor, Reading Is Fun program, Grad Night at Pahoa School, AYSO soccer sponsor, Hospice of Hawaii, American Cancer Society, etc. These activities are an important part of our company. During 1997, PGV employees also served in leadership roles in the Hilo Medical Center Foundation, the Hawaii Island United Way, the Hilo Family Practice Center, and the County Salary Commission. PGV will continue to encourage and support the participation of our employees in helping and contributing toward a better community. PGV as a member of the business community: PGV participated and remained a visible member of the business community. For many years, PGV has encouraged its employees to assume leadership roles in organizations such as the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hawaii, Hawaii Island Economic Development Boazd, Hawaii Island Geothermal Alliance, etc. Our personnel remain committed in representing PGV in these organizations. A Hawaii Partnership Hawaii Island Geothermal Alliance: The Hawaii Island Geothermal Alliance (HIGA) is an organization of grassroots labor and management members that promote and support the use of geothermal energy on the Big Island. PGV continues to be a member of the HIGA organization. HIGA will continue to encourage the use of and full exploitation of the natural indigenous renewable fuel source of geothermal. HIGA continues its public education program through the use of radio and television spots and public speaking engagements. Media Relations: Relationship with most local media personnel has been favorable. Of late, most media types generally call the general manager or financial manager with any questions or concerns. Procedures have been well established for the proper protocol in dealing with media inquiries. All media inquiries aze responded to on a priority basis, utilizing the established protocol. Speaking engagements: PGV embraces all opportunities to speak to groups about PGV and geothermal as an energy source. During the yeaz, presentations were made to Waiakea High School, Hilo Hoyukai (Church group), Waimea Exchange Club, Keonepoko School (Pahoa), Hawaii Island Geothermal Alliance, Hilo Rotary, Holy Cross Church Lay Group, Waiakea Intermediate School students, Big Island LEPC, and the Hawaii County Council. Presentations generally included the showing of a video tape of the project and slide show. Additionally, a printed PGV brochure and information obtained from the DBEDT's energy office and the GRC Education Office are used. Organizations Supported by PGV: Pahoa High and Elementary School Football Team uniform purchase Winter parade contribution Grad night parry (non-alcoholic) Education-Community-Business Alliance Reading Is Fun Program (GRP requirement) Hiring of summer student Special Olympics-Hawaii University of Hawaii Athletic Booster Club Tennis Program Scholazship Program Hawaii Island United Way Cash Contribution Member of Boazd of Directors and Treasurer Hilo Family Practice Center Member of Board of Directors and Treasurer Sacred Heart Church (Pahoa) Feed the Hungry Project Food Bank of Hawaii National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week Hospice of Hawaii Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii Members and Officer, Government Affairs Committee & Membership Committee American Cancer Society March of Dimes Child and Family Services American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Waiakea High School $and Program Career Day Keonepoko Elementary School Safety Awazeness Program Tax Foundation of Hawaii County of Hawaii Donation of Royal Palm trees (32) Vice-chair of the County Salary Commission Hilo Medical Center Member of Boazd of HMC Foundation Hawaii Island Geothermal Alliance Hawaii Island Economic Development Boazd St. Joseph High School ref. prpln97a