HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1062.029 2006-2008
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April 17, 2008
Council Chair Pete Hoffmann
Hawaii County Council tD f'
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 209 W
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Aloha, Chairman Hoffmann:
The Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, The Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association, the Japanese Chamber of
Commerce & Industry of Hawaii, the Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and the Filipino Chamber of
Commerce-Big Island have been meeting jointly to discuss the proposed Waste-to-Energy project for the County.
These four groups represent hundreds of businesses and well over a thousand people involved in the economic base
of our Island.
We represent businesses of all sizes and many of us are small business that represents a huge part of the Island's
economy. We are not paid lobbying groups, we are your friends, your neighbors, your providers of services and
goods and the Island's employers.
1
We urge the Finance Committee to approve the multi-year contract, Resolution 551-08, before the Finance
Committee that will be a step to allow more analysis and answers on this proposal. We understand that this does not
commit the County to green light Wheelabrator to construct a facility, but rather allows a further exploration of
impacts and costs. We also understand this next phase will be at little or no cost to the County.
We surely urge the County to continue its excellent recycling efforts, but we are realistic and understand that we
cannot be buried in our waste while we bring our growing population up to speed on recycling, and find uses for
recyclables in an island economy.
Our organizations have put a significant amount of time, research and meetings into learning as much as we can
about the issue. We will continue to do so through the process as costs, including tipping fees, efficiency and realistic
expectations are important to us. We have remaining questions, but find the answers require the next step of the
process.
We are comfortable that a yes vote, first by the Finance Committee and then by Council, will allow the parties to
properly amass the remaining information on costs, impacts, energy contracts and the like.
Please support the continuation of the process.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Hastings Nimr Tamimi Eugene Nakamura Richard Toledo Rose Bautista
GAC Chair, HICC GAC Chair, KIAA GAC Chair, JCC&IH President, HIPCC President, FCC
KIAA- 820 Piilani St. • Ste. 201 • Hilo, HI 96720 • (808) 961-5422 Gomm No. /V &t 92 f
HICC - 106 Kamehameha Ave. • Hilo, HI 96720 • (808) 935-7178 Ref. To
JCCIH - 400 Hualani St. • Ste. 20B • Hilo, HI 96720 • (808) 934-0177
HIPCC - P.O. Box 1839 • Hilo, Hi 96720 Rot Dote R 18 2008