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Murashi e, Laura COLIN.t��''.�, CLERK
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Thank You;
Brittany C. Farmer
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brittanycfarmer@gmail.com
Monday, August 17, 2015 10:00 PM
Council Testimony
Brittany Farmer
RES 249-215 Testimony
Aloha Nui Loa Council Representatives.docx
1
2085 IS All 7. 5 5.
Ref. To: (0LIL
Ref. Date 19 2015,
Testimony for Hawaii County Council Hearing
August 19, 2015
Brittany Clair Farmer
74-4966 Mamalahoa Hwy
Holualaoa, HI 96725
RES 249-15 PROPOSES AN AMENDMENT TO THE COUNTY OF HAWAII GENERAL PLAN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
GENERAL PLAN COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW PROCESS, RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT Proposes
the following amendments to the General Plan: 1) The relevant Hawai'i County Planning Commission should have the
authority to regulate future geothermal development in Hawaii County subject to state law; 2) Additional development
of geothermal resources should mitigate impacts to people by the use of best available control technology; and 3)
Additional development of geothermal resources that are not part of the previously approved Geothermal Resource
Permit 2 production facilities should avoid urban areas zoned for residential use.
Aloha Nui Loa Council Representatives,
My name is Brittany Clair Farmer and I am wife to Ossian Benjamin Farmer and mother to our four children, ages 1.5, 5,
10, and 12. 1 write this testimony on behalf of all of us. We live at 74-4966 Mamalahoa Hwy in Holualoa, on the Big
Island of Hawaii. We have many neighbors and we all feel very safe, healthy and happy. It was hard to believe the news
that our neighborhood has been approved for "Geothermal Exploration" and a possible site for a "Geothermal Plant".
I have read about this exploration and it includes "fracking", fracturing the land to tap into heated spaces that can offer
energy in the form of heat. The danger in this is the possibility of tapping into unknown gases like Sulphur dioxide that
could and has accidentally been released into the air and into watertables!!! Yikes, our air and water could be
accidentally polluted. I am not okay with this, especially because our water supply comes from one unique, local well.
We love our water, it is clean, tastes good and doesn't have to be filtered. I have seen scary videos where people on the
mainland have advocated to ban fracking by showing that a match can light their tap water on fire. Please do not allow
this plant to explore this method here. It is too dangerous. If you choose, as proposed by #1 in this resolution, to allow
the Hawaii County Planning Commission to have control over the regulation of future geothermal development, then
please know the gravity of this responsibility. People in Puna are just now realizing the devastating effects of their
Geothermal Powerplant. This will be a sad and costly debt to pay.
I am concerned by the wording "additional" I see before me in #2 and #3 of the resolution. Have you already approved
sites that do not mitigate impacts to people by the use of best available control technology and do not avoid urban areas
zoned for residential use? I live in an agricultural zoned neighborhood, as do many of us, it is not zoned residential but it
is definitely a residential neighborhood. If it is possible to reevaluate your initial approval of the geothermal exploration
sites, please do so.
Do not resolve this issue today unless it is amended, we need your help to ensure the safety of our community.
Mahalo Nui Loa for you time and your integrity,
Brittany C. Farmer, Ossian B. Farmer, Scott C. Farmer, Mahina F. Farmer, Benjamin M. Farmer, William M. Farmer and
Mele C. Farmer