HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0064.008 2018-2020 COUNTY CLERK P/Pc.
COUNTY OF HAWAI'I I'
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Time 61yX11
OA'I By
From: David Hunt Date of if ii
To: Poindexter,Valerie;Chung,Aaron;Lee Loy,Sue;Kierkiewicz,Ashley; Kanealii-Kleinfelder,Matt; David,Maile;
Villeaas,Rebecca; Eoff,Karen; Richards,Tim
Cc: Council Testimony •
Subject: Pi'ilani Partners bottling plant testimony
Date: Monday,February 18,2019 8:23:55 AM
oppose Bill 16 re. the proposed Pi'ilani Partners bottling plant near Wailoa Park in Hilo.
Water, a public trust resource, would be taken from a deep, untouched aquifer, despite the
• objections of native Hawaiian leaders and dozens of testifiers. The water would be shipped
off-island to profit a few people.
Note that Earthjustice said (regarding a different project) "Private commercial users of water
bear the burden of affirmatively justifying their uses."
Pi'ilani would extract up to 200,000 gallons a day. It could take three bottlefuls of water to
produce one finished bottle of water. Much of the waste water from production would be
contaminated and discarded.
Aquifers are only recharged with water and kept pure if watersheds aboveground are cared
for. This requires time, energy, and taxpayer and private money. Pi'ilani Partners at first
refused to pay any fees for the aquifer water. Then they offered a$100,000 scholarship--a
fraction of likely profits. But in the past, Earthjustice has questioned whether community
benefit payments fulfill public trust obligations.
Only three people supported the plant at several Planning Commission meetings. All three are
paid by the owners. Dozens opposed it.
The only hydrologist supplying information on the well drilling and aquifer is working for
Pi'ilani Partners.
Plastic dust may contaminate soil around the plant and be spread by wind.
Fossil fuel would be burned to run the plant and transport the water.
Noise from delivery trucks and industrial bottling would disturb peaceful Wailoa Park nearby. ,
Pi'ilani Street would be upgraded and the sewer line extended, attracting even more
development in the future near Wailoa Park
The plant could generate over one million plastic bottles a day, contributing to the already
overwhelming impacts of plastic waste on wildlife, on human health, and on taxpayers paying
for cleanup.
Bottled water contributes to the worldwide privatization of water. The rich can afford to live
where there is clean municipal water, but the poor must buy bottled water or(as on Hawai'i
Island)travel to spigots.
Hawai'i Island already has several bottling plants.
The Pi'ilani parcel was granted "industrial" zoning, though everything nearby is zoned for
Comm. No. 194'15
Ref. To: P(PG
Ref. date FEB 1 9 2019
other uses.
MahalO!
, , fir &
Aloha, Peace, Love, & Music