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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 1062.005 2006-2008 P/K N O O G~ March 9, 2007 C0 -'O County Council Chair and C Hawaii County Council Members County of Hawai'i 25 Aupuni Street T) Hilo, Hi 96720 Re: Testimony for Reso. 551-08 _ 3 Dear Honorable Council Members: rv cry Just about one year ago, I wrote to you regarding the Council's consideration of a Waste-to- Energy (WfE) proposal. That letter was dated April 24, 2007 (copy attached). In that letter, I referred to the question asked in the Department of Environmental Management's (DEM) flyer entitled, °Opala-to-Electricity: Is It a Good Idea for Hawai'i County?" Considering the public opposition via editorials in the newspaper, communications to you via phone and email, visits to your office and old-fashioned letters like these from constituents, once again, the answer to that question should be a resounding *NO." To invest and maintain a WTE facility, such as the one Wheelabrator is proposing, would be shortsighted and fiscally irresponsible for our County. As some of you may know, I was employed by the County as one of two Recycling Specialists to help implement the H15/Bottle Bill recycling program for Hawaii County. I left that employment at the end of December 2007. During my 3 years with DEM, I became very familiar with landfills, transfer stations, recycling efforts and other solid waste issues, not only on this Island but Statewide and Nationwide, as well. That is why I believe that investing in WTE at this time is shortsighted. One fact that should be reiterated is that no new operations (WTE) have been built since 1995' (RW Beck presentation to HI Island Chamber of Commerce, April 4, 2007.) Would you buy a 1995 car in 2008? Wheelabrator's time has passed. New and more efficient technologies for waste disposal are being tested. In the meantime, extending the Hilo landfill Qined and EPA approved) could sustain us for many years as new waste technology options come to fruition. If we truly think about a long-term trash disposal solution for our Island, then we should build on the facts: many disposable materials can now be recovered as resources that can provide jobs, new products and money circulating around the Island. In addition, The County adopted a Zero Waste resolution in Fall 2007 (Reso. 356-07) that supports this concept. Zero Waste as you recall is contrary to the option of incineration. The increased recycling areas at transfer stations by Hawai'i County over the past several years have been embraced by our many communities - and citizens want more opportunities to recycle. Recycling and reuse facilities have also provided not only jobs, but also useable items for many residents. Why would we then opt to incinerate the very "resources` that have been such a boon for our public? As you know, the WTE needs `fuel' and if they don't get enough to bum, then the County could possibly haul some of Kona Coast resort trash to Hilo just to feed this dragon. There was also talk that the WTE would bum green waste as fuel. Again, the green waste facilities here on the Big Island have been a boon for property owners and fanners. Green waste is turned into valuable mulch and soil enhancement for our soil depleted planting areas. It doesn't make sense to bum up this essential resource. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the reported estimated price tag of $128million plus to build and maintain a WTE is exorbitant. DEM's 2007 glossy flyer states, 'the (WTE) proposals will give us a good idea of the cost of building the facility - the County has estimated $30-$40 million.' How can you even consider such an outlandish price tag of $128million, when just a year ago, the price the County was willing to consider was 300% less than what it is today? Such outrageous costs could strap future generations with a huge financial burden. Comm. No. 0 =c 5 Ref. To: Pf@twt Ref. Date MAR • 1 ZOO /2 Then there's the issue of pollution. °WTE facilities help reduce greenhouse gases put into the atmosphere.' (DEM's glossy flyer). Adding even one iota more of pollutants into our air, coupled with the very visible choking VOG, would be a serious mistake for the health of our residents. And, one must consider that WTE emissions, albeit they claim are small amounts, would be added every day when the WTE is operating - that's just about 360 days year after year. Those small amounts add up to large amounts over the course of a year. Please show some forward thinking and vote NO to Wheelabrator's WTE proposal. For the small amount of `energy" we would receive from such a facility, it would still require trucking to the West Side to deliver the "ash residue," it would add more pollutants to our air on a daily basis, and it would require 'fuel" (from otherwise recyclable resources and green waste). Please, make the right decision for your district and future generations of Big Islanders. Vote NO for any incineration method for our Island. h , r in a DaC ;720 PO Box 5 Hilo, HI Idamas47@yahoo.com April 24, 2007 Mayor Harry Kim -r-rfqc 0 Al 60T County of Hawai'i 14 To 25 Aupuni Street ~EneK DAf-g~o A2ch awg) Hilo, Hi 96720 and Hawai'i County Council Members: Donald Ikeda Brenda Ford Dominic Yagong Pete Hoffman Stacy Higa Emily Naeole Bob Jacobson Angel Pilago J Yoshimoto Dear Mayor Kim and Honorable Council Members: On Weds April 4"', I attended RW Beck's "Opala-to-Electricity" (WTE) presentation to the HI Island Chamber of Commerce and Japanese Chamber of Commerce. In their glossy flyer, they asked the question, "Is It a good idea for Hawai'i County?" After listening to their presentation, reading their literature, doing some research on the internet, reading articles in the newspaper and discussing this issue with other residents, the answer to this question should be: NO - WTE is not a good idea for Hawai'i County. Basically, it scared me when they stated that no new operations have been built since 1995: so how can they claim that their system will work here? How can they claim that "WTE facilities help reduce greenhouse gases put into the atmosphere." Help reduce -by how much? They were very 'slippery' in responding to this question. The Big Island already has its own natural 'incinerator- The Volcano. Why would we opt to put more pollutants in the air and in the ground - the toxic ash residue, which would have to be trucked to the West Hawaii Landfill, as the unlined Hilo landfill must close. I see other alternatives. If you look at the input/output of the proposed WTE plant vs. adopting a Zero Waste (Recycling) approach, the health, cost and difference to the County are vast. WTE Input Cash - $40million and many more dollars year, after year (forever) Waste - 90% of East Hawaii's waste after specific recyclables taken out Output Some recyclables - metals, beverage containers, glass, Some electricity (but HELCO's part was barely mentioned.) Greenhouse gases (added to our already, at times, harsh VOG) Toxic ash - which must be dealt with - trucked to West Side posing possible dangers of accidents and spillage. Solid Waste Management /Recycling / ZW Input Cash - has a cost per ton, but nowhere near $40 million Waste - 70°x6 recoverable and recyclable Output Green waste - for needed mulch / soil enhancement A Sustainable System that provides for a healthy on-island economy, Jobs for Recycling companies - since the inception of the Bottle Bill - over 100+ new jobs have been created for Big Island residents Money circulating on the island from recycling companies back into local businesses, such as: printing companies, radio and newspaper, hardware stores, space rentals, etc. New businesses: recycling pick-up services. Reynolds Recycling New products - cans, bike frames, car parts (aluminum) - park benches, decking, fleece clothing (plastic) - landscaping, concrete mix, pipe fill, (glass) Reuse items for low income single moms and extended families No emissions into atmosphere 30% of waste to extended lined landfill or other method. After RW Beck's WTE presentation, one person said, "Well, this all seems okay," but what if 5 years down the road, the perfect technology comes out, and then we're strapped with an incinerator, which we have to pay for forever." This truly is something to think about. Instead of opting for a "repackaged" old technology of incineration, an extension of the present Hilo landfill (of course, lined and meeting EPA guidelines) would give sufficient time to allow other more modem technologies for waste disposal to emerge. While I realize that choosing how to handle the waste infrastructure is a difficult one, county officials need to think about this carefully for the future of our Island. What do you want your children, grandchildren, families and communities to inherit? Ask them. Think deeply and with good conscience. Mahalo, Linda Damas PO Box 5238 Hilo, HI 96720