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From: Sylvia Dolena
To: Council Testimony IT A k
Subject: Defer Res.301-19 until clarified
Date: Sunday,November 03,2019 9:07:52 AM
Defer Res. 301-19 until clarified
Aloha Councilmembers,
Capturing methane from the landfill and using it for energy is a sound strategy that
supports Hawaii Island's sustainability and carbon emission reduction
goals. However, this is not what is clearly stated as the purpose of Resolution 301-
19. Vague language will cause unintended interpretations.
The Hawaii County community has voiced opposition to WTE time and time again,
and wants to be assured that this resolution is not a Trojan horse for waste-to-
energy (WTE) technologies in general. The Council needs to explicitly state what
the resolution intends to accomplish so that it can gain broad-based support.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS UPON US, WE NEED CLEAN ENERGY and must be
diligent and knowledgeable in the methods used for the clean, renewable
energy so as not to further the environment.
Passing Resolution 301-19 as it is now written is so vague that it could pre-empt the
important 2007 resolution unanimously passed by the County of Hawaii to embrace
and adopt the principles of zero-waste (no incineration) as a long-term goal. In
2009, the Council unanimously adopted an implementation plan to serve as the
blueprint for achieving that zero-waste goal. This implementation plan is cited in the
current County of Hawaii 2040 Draft General Plan as the blueprint by which to move
forward. Resolution 301-19 must be rewritten so that there is no chance that it
would pre-empt the important 2007 resolution to adopt zero-waste (no incineration)
as the long-term goal.
Once the language of this resolution is made clear, the next step is to send the
resolution to the Environmental Management Commission for review. It is crucial for
the Council to honor the protocol that has been established in relation to
Department of Environmental Management issues, whereby the Commission
advises the Council before it takes action. Honoring this process will help our island
community navigate the difficult road that lies ahead as we develop innovative
approaches, rooted in solid science, to our waste-management challenges.
Sylvia Dolena
Pele Lani Farm LLC
Mountain View, ISI
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