HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 289 Draft 01 2008-2010
COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
STATE OF HAWAI'I
RESOLUTION NO.
289 09
A RESOLUTION REGARDING COUNTY OF HAWAI'I WASTEWATER
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND A REQUEST FOR STIMULUS FUNDS FROM THE
FEDERAL AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT AND OTHER
FEDERAL SOURCES TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS.
WHEREAS, the County of Hawai'i has approximately 10.4% unemployment (October
2009) per the State of Hawai'i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The County of
Hawai'i anticipates a $45-63 Million deficit in the fiscal year 2010-2011. The major industry in
the county is tourism, but tourism has dropped significantly with no end in sight. In the County
of Hawai'i, our construction industry has been devastated. As an example, depending on the
area of the island, 65-91 % of our carpenters are unemployed. The State of Hawai'i has
furloughed public school teachers for 17 days this school year. The need to re-employ people in
Hawai'i County and re-start our economy is great; and
WHEREAS, Kalanianaole Interceptor Sewer Rehabilitation, Phase 2 (Hilo), consists of
6600 lineal feet of gravity interceptor which needs to be rehabilitated due to ongoing corrosion
from hydrogen sulfide which has deteriorated concrete and exposed rebar within the gravity
main; and
WHEREAS, the Na'alehu Large Capacity Cesspool Replacement Project (Ka'u) consists
of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated closure of two (2) non-County-
owned Large Capacity Cesspools (LCC) in Na'alehu, and the last County Administration made a
commitment to owner C. Brewer and Company Limited (the owner until April 30, 2010) and the
community by way of an agreement (regarding Ka'u property, dated April 12, 2007) to help the
owner and the community close the LCCs and provide an alternate sewer collection and
treatment/disposal system acceptable to the State of Hawai'i Department of Health (DOH). This
closure would protect ground water resources and shoreline waters; and
WHEREAS, the Pahala Large Capacity Cesspool Replacement Project (Ka'u) consists
of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandated closure of one (1) non-County-owned
LCC in pahala, and the last County Administration made a commitment to C. Brewer and
Company Limited (the owner until April 30, 2010) and the community by way of an agreement
(regarding Ka'u property, dated April 12, 2007) to help the owner and the community to close
the LCC and provide an alternate sewer collection and treatment/disposal system acceptable to
the DOH. This closure protects ground water resources and shoreline waters; and
WHEREAS, the Honoka'a Large Capacity Cesspool Replacement Project, Phase 2
(Hamakua), consists of upgrading the existing wastewater treatment plant in order to serve the
additional population that will be contributing to the new wastewater collection system that was
installed under Phase 1. This project is a continuation of an EP A-mandated closure of seven (7)
County-owned LCCs in Honoka'a. In accordance with the EPA Consent Agreement and Final
Order (CAFO) executed on January 6, 2006 (Docket No. UIC AO-2005-0014), the County
closure of LCCs is to occur no later than September 1,2010. These closures protect ground
water resources and shoreline waters; and
WHEREAS, Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant (North Kona) has an assortment of
needed projects to be completed:
1) Sludge removal from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) lagoons is
required to support the efforts of the WWTP aeration system upgrade in
addressing the high organic loading to the plant. The expected outcome is to
improve the plant's treatment capacity (refer to item 3 below). Due to more
concentrated sewage than was originally contemplated in the original WWTP
design, this project is necessary to ensure the efficiency of the treatment
system; and
2) Installation of a photovoltaic system at the WWTP to reduce dependence on
imported fuel sources (such as, oil), protect the environment through the use of
green technologies, and minimize costs to customers. Significant increases in
electricity costs for the facility are anticipated since additional blowers are
required to be installed to provide the required additional aeration supporting
the treatment system; and
3) Upgrade the WWTP aeration system to provide additional treatment capacity in
response to the higher Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and TSS mass
loading (i.e. organic loading) currently being received at the facility. The plant
was originally designed to treat wastewater of lower organic loads. This
project is necessary to improving the capacity of the WWTP; and
4) North Kona Sewer Project, Phase 2, requires land acquisition, design and
construction of a sewage pump station near Queen Ka' ahumanu Highway and
Kealakehe Parkway, and a sewer force main from the new pump station to the
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WWTP. This project addresses health and safety, enhances quality of life, and
provides service improvements. Some sewer infrastructure is being installed
simultaneously with the State of Hawai'i's Department of Transportation
project to widen the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway during Phase 2. This project
meets with the General Plan of the County and the Kona Community
Development Plan. The project promotes economic viability, preserves and
protects the natural environment including the shoreline waters of the ocean,
and promotes health and safety; and
5) North Kona Effluent Reuse Upgrade Project (Kealakehe WWTP R-I upgrade)
and the Kealakehe Effluent Reuse-Makai Project require design and
construction for upgrading the WWTP to produce R-l quality effluent. This
will provide a source of suitable irrigation water to the public as well as
significantly decrease effluent pumping into a seepage pit located mauka
(toward the mountain) of the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. The seepage pit
has the potential to affect the shoreline waters of the ocean which are the home
of endangered species. Effluent reuse infrastructure is intended to extend from
the WWTP to Kohanaiki Industrial area and is being installed simultaneously
with the widening of the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. These projects along
with the Kealakehe Effluent Reuse-Mauka Project (see Item 6 below) will
make R-l quality effluent available to water medians and parks and minimizes
potable water use in North Kona, preserves and protects the natural
environment including the shoreline waters of the ocean where there are
several endangered species, promotes health and safety, meets with the
requirements of the county General Plan and the Kona Community
Development Plan; and
6) The Kealakehe Effluent Reuse-Mauka Project requires land acquisition
including easements, design and construction of wastewater reuse
infrastructure at the WWTP and extends an R-l wastewater main mauka
(toward the mountain) across the Ane Keohokalole Highway through the
"Forest City" project to new R-l storage tanks near Ane Keohokalole Highway
and Keanalehu Drive. This R-l effluent project may also serve the constructed
wetland park that could replace the old Kona Landfill once that burning landfill
has undergone a clean closure. The constructed wetland could serve to attract
endangered avian wildlife away from the Kona International Airport where the
3
birds are a hazard to air transportation and relocate them approximately 5.5
miles south to the proposed wetland park. Additionally, the wetland park could
dramatically reduce the treated effluent entering the seepage pit that potentially
accesses the shoreline waters of the ocean and the local endangered wildlife.
This project utilizes R-I effluent to water highway medians, parks, and reduces
potable water use in North Kona for other users ofR-1 effluent, preserves and
protects the natural environment including the shoreline waters of the ocean
where there are endangered species, promotes health and safety, meets with the
requirements of the County General Plan and the Kona Community
Development Plan. The R-I effluent can also be used by the Kaloko-
Honokohau National Historical Park; and
WHEREAS, the Kailua-Kona Sewer Expansion Project (North Kona) requires planning,
design and construction of sewer infrastructure (wastewater mains) and appropriate pumping
stations between Ali'i Drive and up to one mile inland of the shoreline to eliminate cesspools for
residents and businesses along the shoreline and near shoreline, and prevent leaching of cesspool
effluent into the ocean. The geology of West Hawai'i is mostly a'a (crumbly) lava that is
extremely porous and lends itself to leaching into the aquifer and ocean. This project addresses
health and safety, enhances quality of life, and provides service improvements. This project
meets with the General Plan of the County and the Kona Community Development Plan. The
project promotes economic viability, preserves and protects the natural environment including
the shoreline waters of the ocean, and promotes health and safety; and
WHEREAS, the total amount of these necessary projects is $ 136,038,000 the County of
Hawai'i does not have the funds to needed to complete these projects; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAW AI'I that
Hawai'i County intends to comply with requirements of the State of Hawai'i Department of
Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, protect our shoreline waters, improve the
public health and safety, protect and preserve our endangered species, protect ground water
resources, reuse R-I effluent for parks and highway medians, and provide excess effluent to
other users, increase the capacity of the Kealakehe WWTP, create a wetland park and
endangered bird species sanctuary using R-I effluent, and promote sustainable management and
use of County resources.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF
HAW AI'I requests that Stimulus Funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) be granted
4
and additional grants are requested from the various departments and agencies of the Federal
government to complete these projects and restart our economy.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the
Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, the Honorable U.S.
Senator Daniel Akaka, the Honorable U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, the Honorable U.S.
Representative Neil Abercrombie, the Honorable U.S. Representative Mazie Hirono, U.S.
Department of Commerce (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine
Fisheries Service), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of the
Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, the Environmental Protection
Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation (Federal Aviation Administration), the
Honorable Mayor William Kenoi, the Hawai'i County Departments of Finance and
Environmental Management, Chauncey Wong Yuen, Airport Manager - Kona International
Airport, and Chiyome Fukino, M.D., Director of the State of Hawai'i Department of Health.
, Hawai'i, this 16th day of
Dated at Kona
December
,2009.
INTRODUCED BY:
~~
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAW AI'I
COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai'i
Hilo, Hawai'i
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by
the vote indicated to the right hereDf adopJeJi byJhe COUNCIL of the
County of Hawai'l on JJecanoer 16, :l009 ,
ATTEST'
(w--
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERS
ROLL CALL VOTE
AYES NOES ABS EX
ENRIQUES X
FORD X
GREENWELL X
HOFFMANN X
IKEDA X
NAEOLE-BEASON X
ONISHI X
YAGONG X
YOSHIMOTO X
8 0 1 0
Reference:
C-649/Waived EMC
289 09
RESOLUTION NO.
5