HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-13 Letter to Nicole Lowen, Tina Wildberger, John Mizuno and Bertrand Kobayashi SB 2379, SD1 Relating to Cesspools ."-ot ''''Ilk
' ;•, Roy Takemoto
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Harry Kim
Mayor
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Barbara J.Kossow
"' Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawai`i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553
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March 13, 2020
Representative Nicole E. Lowen, Chair
Representative Tina Wildberger, Vice Chair
Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection
Representative John M. Mizuno, Chair
Representative Bertrand Kobayashi, Vice Chair
Committee on Health
Hawaii State Legislature
Dear Chair Lowen and Mizuno, Vice-Chair Wildberger and Kobayashi, and Committee Members:
RE: SB 2379, SD1 Relating to Cesspools.
SB 2379 SD1 calls for research, education, and outreach, with respect to the impact of cesspools on
Hawaii's waters. While I applaud this initiative, I would like to ask for one amendment.
Right now, the bill calls for communicating "the need for statewide conversion of cesspools to protect
the coastal and nearshore environment..." and "solutions that support converting all cesspools in the State by
2050." My suggestion is that this research could be more objective if one of its tasks was to determine whether
there was a scientific basis for forcing the expensive conversion of"all" cesspools.
I realize that present law requires such conversion. But objective research might reveal that
geographic exceptions could be made without impacting waters at all, thereby saving millions of dollars and a
lot of heartache, with no countervailing negative consequences.
Since you are funding research anyway, wouldn't it make sense to be sure that the premise on which
the research is based is scientifically sound?
I hope you will amend SB 2379, SD1 to make this simple but meaningful change, and thank you for
your consideration.
Res ectfully Submitted,
Res
Harry Kitirn
MAYOR
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.