HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0021.003 2018-2020 P/ageoc,
cot04. 1.1
COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
RECEIVED
Sara Steiner Time Z?ApM By OTAV
13-430 Pohoiki Road Date 01/01/19
P.O. Box 2011
Pahoa, HI 96778
808-936-9546
Committee on Government Relations and Economic Development
Attn: Ashley Kierkiewicz
Via email: counc.iltestimonv@hawaiicountv.gov
RE: Comm. 21 Request for a discussion on Hawai'i County lava recovery.
Dear Asley, Committee Members,
I am addressing this council committee today as a 35 year-resident of Lower Puna and chair of
nonprofit Laulima Pahoa. I want you to know that actions you take on these issues for residents
in Lower Puna, are good practice actions for the entire Big Island, because how you care for
Puna lava-vulnerable population speaks to how you will care about residents in Hilo and Kona
when future lava from Mauna Loa and Hualalai flows.
This year, in a matter of months, over 700 homes were lost in Leilani Estates, Lanipuna Gardens,
Kapoho and Vacationland, and miles of county and state roads were covered by lava. The Puna
District has the greatest percentage of poorest census districts, and many residents did not have
permitted homes or homeowners insurance. It is sad, tragic and irresponsible that after 35 years
of ongoing eruptions, Hawaii County still has no plan of action for lava displaced residents and
the residents are suffering while the County is still "studying"the lava problem and waiting for
the generation of hazard mitigation reports.
County Council already decided last year that Highway 132 needs to be opened for the residents.
Please do not waste further public time and taxpayer money on an issue that has already been
decided—re-establishing Hwy 132 has already been voted on.
Meanwhile, as Puna residents are waiting patiently for 6 months to pass to get their Hwy 132, the
• State and County give special emergency consideration to a private foreign company, Puna
Geothermal Venture, allowing them to bulldoze a massive runway on someone else's land and
get access to County water as well. It is painfully obvious that State and County politicians and
department heads value PGV more than they value the thousands of lives or rights of the Lower
Puna residents, and the blatant discriminatory policy of taking money and giving favors needs to
end now!
I'm sure the County Council must be aware of the huge pressing public health emergency at the
new beach-three bacteria-laden ponds at Isaac Hale_that people (including children, the elderly
and tourists) are swimming in and the County has never made a drop of water available to rinse-
off or for drinking. Vendors offering life-saving water have been run off by security guards with
threats of calling the police because they didn't have a permit. I read the in Tribune-Herald that
1 Comm. No. 1.1.
Ref. To: PI I2. PC
Ref. DateMMN U 8 2Q19
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- - Spencer Beach Park in Kona was closed last week due to lack of water, yet the County has opens
our beach in Puna without-any water? What is with this lack-of-water for Puna policy? If the
County doesn't have a plan to get water to the beach, I'll give you a small piece of my land on
Pohoiki Road to drill a well to supply the beach and lower Pohoiki Road residents with water.
There is already in place a giant 6"pipe which runs down Pohoiki Road straight to the beach, use
emergency lava money to drill a well and get water to the beach now! In the meanwhile get a
water-truck and some hoses down there so people can shower off the toxic bacteria water now!!!
Currently, hundreds of tourists and residents are driving a 48 mile round-trip from Pahoa to Isaac
Hale. We all take Karaili Road, a one-lane road straight through the middle of one family's
yard, you know the house I'm talking about, where the "Slow Down You Fakas" "This Is Not A
County Road" signs are. I see lifeguards and some other government vehicles drive through
Kalapana, making it a 60 mile round-trip that costs the taxpayers plenty in driving and vehicle
gas and maintenance. In actuality, Isaac Hale Beach Park is only about 8 %2 miles from Pahoa on
Pohoiki Road, 17 miles round trip,with only a mile or so to be graded over the lava. Opening
Pohoiki Road and providing water is an urgent health emergency and economic priority, and is
the best safety practice for a County who is obsessed with liability.
Highway 137 from Isaac Hale Beach through Kapoho 4 Corners to Cinderland Road needs to be
open,that is important for emergency evacuations as well as people driving from Red Road to
Waa Waa now have about an 60 mile round trip,where it is only 10 miles with the road open.
Opening the road from Cinderland to 4 Corners also gets Sanford's trucks off of Government
Beach Road and back on Highway 132, reducing that safety hazard and government liability of
giant cinder trucks constantly traversing the one-lane Government Beach Road and flying up
Kahukai through Hawaiian Beaches.
Additionally regarding Puna economic recovery,I realize it is the State's jurisdiction, but the
local boating population has been driving 60 miles each way to Hilo and boating 100 miles back
just to fish in their own local waters. The fishermen have been waiting patiently for either
dredging at Pohoiki or another small boat ramp to be placed along the coast, and it would be nice
if our County Council representatives could nudge the State in that direction as well, as that is an
important economic self-sustaining resource Puna desperately needs.
These first emergency recovery solutions should be super easy and are mostly reinstating
infrastructure that was already here. Puna residents are used to substandard roads and lack of
services,we are definitely not spoiled. There is no reason to spend huge amounts of money
making super highways as this is Pele's domain. We just need decent graded roads over the lava
with occasional pothole maintenance, a boat ramp and water at the beach. That's where the
saying 'road to recovery" comes from!
Sincerely,
Sara Steiner
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