HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1048.003 2014-2016 P/aoIaiictL.
CCMlt4_ IDS-&
Murashige, Laura
From: Chris Ostrander <chriso@hawaii.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2016 10:57 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony for 9/21/16 Council Meeting re: Resolution 641-16
Attachments: PGV_SOEST_Testimony.pdf
Please find the attached testimony for next week's Council meeting.
Aloha,
Chris
Chris E. Ostrander o► _
Assistant Dean
Director of Strategic Initiatives & External Relations
School of Ocean&Earth Science &Technology
a►'�c
University of Hawaii at Manoa
POST Building, Room 822 4
phone: 808-956-5902
Comm No.
coy-
Ref. ®: -2124%
Rr.f. Date
1
Testimony Presented Before the
Hawaii County Council
September 21, 2016
By
Brian Taylor
Dean
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Resolution No. 641-16: AUTHORIZES THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN
AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I, DEPARTMENT OF ATMOSPHERIC
SCIENCES
Chair Kanuha,Vice Chair Poindexter, and Members of the Council:
The University of Hawaii at Manoa,School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and
Technology(SOEST) supports Resolution 641-16,which would authorize the Office of
the Mayor to enter into an agreement with our Department of Atmospheric Sciences. This
agreement will support the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency's efforts to develop a
comprehensive dispersion and plume-modeling program to improve upon hazard and risk
assessment regarding potential future and past releases of hydrogen sulfide from the Puna
Geothermal Venture (PGV) facility.
The dispersion model developed through this agreement will provide guidance regarding
the likely impacts of HZS releases and assist in the development of effective local
emergency response plans and emergency actions.
The University of Hawaii has substantial experience in the development and operation of
dispersion and plume modeling and is an ideal partner for the County. Over the past five
years, researchers within our Department of Atmospheric Sciences have worked closely
with the Civil Defense Agency,the USGS, State agency partners, and local stakeholders on
the development of a dispersion modeling system for vog emissions from Kilauea. That
tool,known as VMAP, is utilized by tens of thousands of Hawaii residents on a regular basis
to check vog conditions,locations, and concentrations and provides a solid foundation for
the development of a Hydrogen Sulfide gas dispersion model focused on PGV emissions.
We look forward to a close collaboration with the County Civil Defense Agency on the
development of this dispersion model and encourage the Council to approve Resolution
641-16.
Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony.