HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-04-21 Leeward Exh B - DEM
A regularly advertised hearing on the application of
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (SPP 807/LUC DOCKET SP 91-379)
was called to
order at 11:26 a.m. in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Community
Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, with Chair Geraldine
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Geraldine Giffin, Lani Bowman, Thomas Hic
Wayne Iokepa and Richard Nelson
ABSENT AND EXCUSED: Brandi Beaudet and Thomas Whittemore
STAFF PRESENT: Julie Mecklenburg (Deputy Corporation Counsel), M
(Deputy Planning Director), Daryn Arai (Planning Program Manager
and Maija Cottle (Staff Planner)
And nine people from the public in attendance.
APPLICANT: COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(SPP 807/LUC DOCKET SP 91-379)
Amendment to Special Permit No. 807 (State Land Use Commission D
allow the sale of excess crushed rock from landfill excavation t
approximately 306.525 acres within the State Land Use Agricultur
located mauka of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway, south of Anaeho
North Kona, Hawaii, TMK: 7-1-003: 017.
GIFFIN: Well, the Hawaii Leeward County Planning Commission mee
order. Commissioners, we are on Agenda Item No. 2. Agenda Item N
is the County Department of Environmental Management, SPP 807, L
as I stated, this is a request for an amendment to Special Permi
crushed rock from landfill excavation to contractors for on-isla
DARROW: Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning. Good morning, Memb
Commission. If I can direct your attention to our presentation o
next application is within the North Kona District. More specifi
Anaehoomalu Bay, which is located in this general area in the
subject property is outlined in red. Youll notice the different
particular zoning for this property is light green, which identi
through the middle of the map is Queen Kaahumanu Highway. This
mauka of that in the ahupuaa of Puuanahulu. The property is ap
This is a site plan that was submitted by the applicant. Its a
brought in two boards that they will be referring to in their pr
plan of the project area. And this is an aerial photo. Again, it
Basically, you have the Puuanahulu landfill road coming off Que
then we have the general location of the landfill in this area.
on, as well as structures on the property.
The applicant is requesting an amendment to Special Permit No. 8
LUC Docket No. SP 91-379. Originally, the Land Use Commission ap
on February 18, 1992, to establish a sanitary landfill, access r
landfill operations include the excavation and crushing of rock.
cover material between layers of compacted refuse, others are us
some are bermed on-site. The applicant is requesting to allow th
landfill excavation to contractors for on-island use. The propos
surplus rock from ongoing rock excavation and crushing activity,
operations except for the loading of rock onto trucks for transp
The Planning Director is recommending that the Planning Commissi
recommendation to the Land Use Commission for the amendment requ
Several items that I want to bring to the Commissions attention
the Planning Commission received the background and recommendati
2011, from the Department of Environmental Management. This is i
Commissions letter dated February 16, 2011, requesting addition
th
information was provided within this April 4letter. Additionally, this morning we received a
letter from Melvin D. Macy, and that was handed out to the Commi
reviewing our files, we found a letter dated April 1994 from the
all conditions of approval for this particular permit had been c
annual progress reports were required by the applicant. At this
Condition 7 of the amendment, and that is the annual progress re
8 will be changed to Condition 7. With that, that concludes our
questions?
GIFFIN: Thank you. Commissioners, any questions of Jeff? Hearing
the applicants representatives please come up? Good morning, Iv
right hand? Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this mat
County Planning Commission?
TORIGOE: Yes.
GIFFIN: Will you please state your name?
TORIGOE: Thank you, Madam Chair. My name is Ivan Torigoe, and I
Counsel. Im assigned to assist the Department of Environmental
capacity that Im here today. Also present is our Solid Waste Di
Greg Goodale. We also have representatives from Waste Management
contractor that manages the site of the landfill; we have the ge
of Hawaii here, Mr. Joe Whelan, and we also have Mr. Mike Kaha
basically he is the man on site.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Would you like to elaborate further on this a
TORIGOE: Well, first of all, let me just say that we have review
background report, and with the correction, or the removal, of C
with those. And thank you very much to the staff for their usual
Just very briefly, the amendment that we are seeking is really a
it does is allow for the County and Waste Management to dispose
site that is excess to operations. And this is rock that is gene
operations; its not stuff that has been quarried for commercial
that sense its not changing operations at all; all we are doing
permission to remove this rock from on-site. And obviously we do
because for one thing that would really, you know, not allow the
recoup any of the costs involved. In fact, Waste Management cont
Management to get a license and sell rock to defray costs. And,
just give the rock away, then that would be problematic in terms
coming up today.
But certainly we are not looking at running anything like a high
quarry; all it is is the excess rock. At this point in time the
volumes. The only reason that this has come up at this point is
operations, the excess rock has reached about 150,000 to 200,000
justify going into sales. But the actual volume after that is go
yards per year that is excess, which really doesnt justify, you
looking at really is perhaps having to further stockpile for thr
again. So this is not the kind of situation where the County is,
become a commercial rock crusher and quarry operation; its just
that is generated by operations. And it is necessary to do that
there is just not room to move the equipment around and do the w
until now a lot of the rock was, and still is, used for on-site
etc. But there is always going to be a certain amount of excess,
off. Even now, if you go to the site, youll see very large berm
actually kind of overbuilt those because, you know, of the exces
potentially, could be a permit violation. So that kind of thing,
So basically thats it. We just need to be able to move this roc
going to be we believe a low volume, that is really a significan
are out there. So with that, we have, as I said, the Waste Manag
Division Chief, and well be happy to answer any questions. Than
GIFFIN: Thank you, Mr. Torigoe. Questions of Ivan? Commissioner
BOWMAN: A hundred-fifty to two hundred thousand cubic yards, rig
considered commercial. Forgive me, Im not really familiar with
some of our testifiers like a normal commercial quarry, they s
TORIGOE: Commissioner Bowman, Im going to -.
GIFFIN: Please come up. Feel free to come up. And I will just sw
the testimony. Will you please raise your right hand? Thank you.
the truth on this matter now before the Hawaii Leeward County P
KAHA: I do.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Will you please state your name?
KAHA: My name is Michael Kaha. The question is, before I say, yo
commercial, you know, I would say that thats something that you
testifiers here. Right now thats an unknown for us. And with ju
or 17 years thats on-site, which is generating this issue now.
BOWMAN: Okay. I guess I have a second question, sorry, maybe you
the price be competitive with a normal quarry, what they charge?
TORIGOE: Madam Chair, if I may.
GIFFIN: Yes, Mr. Torigoe.
TORIGOE: At this point its premature for us to be able to make
lot of bridges that we have to cross before we actually get to f
anticipate, or wed hope that it would be competitive. But among
through DLNR to get a license from them to actually sell the roc
would have some conditions that wed have to meet in the land li
obviously have to look at the market and try to be competitive,
tell.
BOWMAN: And, one more question. The proceeds, the money Im al
And I know, I went to the Environmental Commission, their last m
talking about budget cuts. Would it go back to the Department of
the land or the -?
GIFFIN: Lessee.
TORIGOE: Waste Management? Yeah, I think what we would be lookin
revenue sharing agreement. And again, you know, the State may wa
course, Waste Management is entitled to a certain amount of reco
possibly, you know, the County would be able to get some revenue
BOWMAN: Okay, so there is nothing really done statistically mone
effectiveness of this process.
TORIGOE: I guess you are asking if weve determined what the pro
point?
BOWMAN: Yes.
TORIGOE: We havent, if thats your question.
BOWMAN: Okay, thank you.
GIFFIN: Any other questions of the applicant? Okay, hearing none
and Mr. Kaha. We have two people who have signed up to testify,
submitted written testimony. Kevin Balog and Mel Macy, please co
Old Home Week there is Ivan, and now there is Kevin, my goodne
please raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm to tell the
Hawaii Leeward County Planning Commission?
TESTIFIERS: I do.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Starting with you, Kevin, will you please sta
BALOG: Kevin Balog, P. O. Box 368 Paauilo, Hawaii 96776. And I
representing two companies: One is our mining company which is E
Gravel LLC and the other one is our landholding company which is
GIFFIN: Thank you. Why dont you begin your testimony, Mr. Balog
BALOG: Thank you, Chairman Giffin and fellow Members of the Leew
Just a few things to clarify some of the representations that ar
lowering cost to the County, but I think as a whole we need to u
being asked of the Commission today. Whats being asked today is
allowed an entity to develop a contract with the County to run a
obligations when it entered into that contract; they knew they w
they knew what they had to do, they knew they needed to crush th
are asking you to amend the condition to allow them to sell it t
Honorable Ivan Torigoe said, to hopefully have a share in the pr
Either we pay through a tipping fee or through our property taxe
people, the County pays Waste Management, and they get paid to e
they get paid to cover their costs are covered. We run an enti
you people sitting up there, one of the Commissioners, or someon
the phone, calls us up, no one is covering my cost. I dont have
partners are a government entity who has a piece of property, th
says, You know what, hey, were going to process this material
cost. My costs dont get diverted; in fact, no one is coming to
to help you out, Mr. Balog. So it would be different, if the pr
we are opening it up for a bid, we arent asking for, or declari
an environmental assessment to do this, were going to be fair a
asking. They are asking you today to waive their conditions, so
are not allowing me or my company to do it. They are not allowin
sitting right next to me, to go into the site and possibly eithe
process it. Or even competition that isnt here. What they are a
them to do it and allow them to make the profit, and then make a
already get for running a landfill. All my tax dollars, all of y
here, paid for all the improvements you see, connecting to the l
remember its our money. So when they tell you, Oh, we knew we
we want to come into compliance, I agree with all of that. But
and you allow people to come in and be part of the process and b
when you are excluding everyone and you are saying, No, we are
that runs the landfill, that wasnt their purpose when they ope
175,000 tons is not much, well, I guess in todays economy 175,0
or two years worth of the business I dont know about my comp
MACY: Thats yards. Three hundred thousand -.
BALOG: Yards. Three hundred thousand tons -.
MACY: Maybe 400,000.
BALOG: They also claim that its minor. In their own release t
paperwork they say that 5,000,000 cubic yards, or 11,000,000 t
they keep using this thing, Oh, its just a minor change, there
we are doing, we are only taking what we are already doing and w
the site, well, I mean, I run a quarry, I know he runs a quarry
youre not going to do what you are doing today its impossibl
if you are going to sell it, as its already disclosed in their
You dont make AC rock out of rubbish. And on top of that, its
definitely different than the gradation used for cover material.
quarry that sells and makes many different products to compete w
which they said, yes, they want to make a profit and share with
a landfill and the County would actually step up and say, We ha
Hawaii Concrete, would DeLuz Trucking, would CTS Glover does
have one on the east side, but they run operations on the west s
bid, or anyone else in the general public like to bid for the ex
the excess material and sell it to the general public thats
difference.
On top of that, part of, the next part of what I have to say is
think about it till I heard the earlier application, and Im thi
think West Hawaii started, on Parker Ranch land; our direct sal
but our direct sales actually helped the beneficiaries of Parker
goes through problems and has needs, and they distribute it. And
before, and I was, on the last application, its true, the trust
they have no money to distribute, who are they helping? On this
compete, Im not hiding that we try to go everywhere we can; w
Parker Ranch quarry to Waimea. I can tell you. If I can, I sell
West Hawaii, I sell it in Kohala, I sell it anywhere. But the p
that they make is Parker Ranch. If Im successful enough to sell
thats all on me. No ones making my road improvements; if I nee
they tell me, Mr. Balog, you need to put in your own driveway a
before you start.
So I would warn you guys I mean I can go on and on about how f
shouldnt send a favorable recommendation but Id warn you guy
And we are saying, as a commission that is, you guys are only su
but in this case you have to broaden what you are looking at and
government entity that has someone in there that was allowed an
were getting into, and now they are asking to have that cost fur
outside businesses that employ people. That would force me to la
into the market place. Now, if I knew it was fair and it was unp
buddy here went and processed it, I know what Im up against. Bu
figured it out, they have several steps to go. They cant answer
profit margin? I cant believe they dont know what their propos
they want to do it. I can guarantee you, he will know. So -.
GIFFIN: Mr. Balog, we need to move along, as you know.
BALOG: Thank you.
GIFFIN: Thank you very much. Mr. Macy?
MACY: Yes. I believe all you have a copy of my testimony. Im so
there, Madam Chair.
GIFFIN: Thats all right.
MACY: Okay, for the sake of time, Im just going to read my test
Madam Chair and the other members of the Commission and the Coun
me the time to testify on the amendment to Special Permit No. 80
Im testifying as a quarry operator. And my concern is that if t
the aggregate market place, I see a potential problem for the qu
Big Island, for all the quarry operators. Now, if understand thi
and the landfill operator, and Big Island taxpayers, of course,
operator to strip overburden, drill and shoot rock, remove the p
the material in an accessible area. And I know from many years o
we run the numbers on this, this is pretty much doing this work
cost of producing a finished aggregate. Now, finished aggregate,
asphalt product, so just getting it in the stockpile in the dril
of the total cost of producing the finished aggregate. Now, the
cost in it whereas the quarry operators will have this inherent
existing quarries or any quarries that may want to open in the f
disadvantage. Our first choice would be that the County of Hawai
compete with the local aggregate producers and you continue to d
youve done since the opening of the landfill. One possibility t
that maybe the County of Hawaii use this product for their own
site preparation or things like that, thats only for their purp
the local quarry operators. And, you know, we have no one to sub
fairness issue, if the County does decide to compete with us, th
decide to compete with us. So Im requesting you do not allow th
Thank you.
GIFFIN: Youre welcome. Commissioners, any questions of Mr. Macy
very much -.
BOWMAN: I do have a question.
GIFFIN: Im sorry. Commissioner Bowman.
BOWMAN: Im sorry. And forgive my ignorance again about the rock
are creating there? Im just not, Im a little confused about th
and forgive me that would be sold as AC grade fill, or -?
MACY: Well, AC is what they call asphalt concrete, which is just
rock to suit that requirement, you have to crush it down to the
of sand. And its a very specific gradation that you have to mak
and crushing to get it to the right size to be able to put the o
that answer your question?
BOWMAN: But the excess at the landfill is not this grade.
MACY: Well, when it comes out of the cells, its like in about a
okay, meaning its large stuff. And then if you want to use it a
take it and run it through more crushing plants to get it down t
base, for asphalt, for concrete, for any of those other products
in coming out of the cells because its just too big a product.
be sold to a project to fill a hole or something like that. But
finish-grade product at that point in my opinion.
BOWMAN: Okay, just maybe one more question for both of you since
And again, pardon my ignorance but, would it be something that q
not the AC grade, as to buy it from the landfill and then create
MACY: You mean to haul it out of there? Well, to haul that stuff
to get it somewhere else because its a very large product and y
actually move that stuff around; your regular highway trucks don
BOWMAN: Thank you. I figured this much.
GIFFIN: Mr. Balog, did you want to add something?
BALOG: Yeah, to both questions. One is on Page 2 of what they su
that there was a road project that specifies about 1,600 tons of
you read on the Department of Environmental Management Potential
know why they even disclose that under Adverse because they are
make a size and transport it off the site, and theres 324 truck
do they plan on taking a 2-foot rock and making it smaller? Yes,
way they are going to sell it off the site. The other thing is t
a little confused, is that the County has the opportunity, which
side but on the east side, to open this up to quarry operators o
mine or process material that has material available. And the St
east side. So its not that the Countys hands are ever tied tha
material, bid on this extra material and process it, and whateve
but you pay us our royalty, because thats already done. There
whatever you want to call it, thats done by the State of Hawai
island.
GIFFIN: Commissioner Bowman? Nothing?
BOWMAN: No. Thank you. Not yet.
GIFFIN: Youre welcome. Any other questions of the two testifier
very much. Ivan, Im sure -. Oh, Mike. Again, Old Home Week, rig
want to testify? Of course, you may. Mike, will you please raise
LUCE: Sure.
GIFFIN: Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter
County Planning Commission?
LUCE: I do.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Your name, please.
LUCE: My name is Mike Luce, L-U-C-E. I live up the highway from
Moani Pkake Place. Chairman Giffin reminded me of Old Home Week. I didn
today intending to testify, but I looked at this application. Th
happened to be the Planning Commission Chairman when that went t
This application, ladies and gentlemen, was very controversial.
selection. The Resort Association was very concerned. Residents
use permit, as Im sure youve learned and staff has told you, i
nobody wants a prison, a quarry, a landfill, a sewer treatment
They are the orphaned child kind of society. But I would ask you
but has staff given you the environmental study that was done as
Because, to the best of my knowledge, a quarry operation was nev
sensitive permit. Also, in that environmental study, trucking ru
was never contemplated. This permit barely passed, as I recall,
Resort Association because of all the mitigating conditions and
have something somewhere closer than Hilo or closer than the Kaipala.
So there is a rich history to this permit.
Im just going to roll through a couple of considerations that I
havent given the environmental study for this permit, that you
dont see them weighing in on this yet. I mentioned the environm
quarry operations or rubbish from East Hawaii. There are existi
You can see them there is one up Waikoloa Road and there is an
And this application is not just for selling material in C2 in t
stockpiled, and I believe its crushed, Commissioner Bowman, to
the specs for cover material are much less stringent than they a
The one that really got me, as I thumbed through this applicatio
the applicant is self-exempting themselves from the environmenta
privy to overnight use of the materials: I just looked at it. I
excuse me, Chair thats County Office of Environmental Managem
GIFFIN: Department of Environmental Management.
LUCE: DEM. And the agency that is exempting themselves, thats e
environmental assessment is the DEM. This to me is a huge confli
entered into a contract with Waste Management that would allow t
material, which is in conflict with the conditions of the permit
the permit, so it complies with the -. I think maybe the whole c
course, the previous testifiers talked about who is to profit fr
Waste Management? Its not minor; its 11,000,000 tons you are a
operation. There is also an option to do what other agencies do
somebody else come and offer, you know, put it out to a good old
I think, fiducially is bound to do that. I dont know what the t
but apparently they didnt comply with the conditions of the per
is the successful bidder, they can handle all the permits of DLN
that.
I would just urge you, in closing, to just consider these things
here today to ask to defer action on this application, look at t
more about it, and ask staff to develop you recommendations for
Staff will do that for you. And thats what Im testifying, aski
develop some conditions for an unfavorable recommendation. I tha
my best to answer any questions. And then Old Home Week, it feel
even, no matter what side of the table. Thank you, Madam Chairma
GIFFIN: Commissioners, any questions of Mike Luce. None? Thank y
please come back up? And did you want to have the other two men
TORIGOE: Yes, Madam Chair, we probably should have them just in
they can help with.
GIFFIN: Okay. And I think I need to swear you in. Will you pleas
you. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth on this matter now
County Planning Commission?
WHELAN: I do.
GIFFIN: Thank you. Will you please state your name in the mike?
WHELAN: My name is Joe Whelan, general manager, Waste Management
GIFFIN: Thank you very much. Ivan?
TORIGOE: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Yeah, there are a number of
that we want to respond to. There was some suggestion that we co
of the rock. That is something that would probably present some
a landfill, its not a quarry is a highly regulated solid wast
contractor come on and run a basically part of a quarry operatio
with respect to, you know, making sure that they did not interfe
including the ingress and egress of the people who are coming in
as other County trash hauling trailers. So, you know, we have to
of private operations we allow to come in the landfill because i
There was mention made of the Saddle Road project. And that was
as a truly hypothetical kind of a worst case or best case scenar
of what the highest possible volume type of project would be. An
of that was to show that even in that kind of scenario we would
trucks per day approximately coming to and from the landfill, yo
So from the traffic standpoint, that clearly was not significant
agreed with that.
There was comment about how, why we dont have an idea what the
at this point this is like the first step in the process. Before
out what the numbers actually would be, we want to make sure tha
Commission and with the Land Use Commission that this is somethi
And as I said, we would have to go through a number of hoops bef
numbers.
There was also mention that this is in fact a land use board. An
is that, you know, the function of the Commission and the LUC is
proposed change is an unusual and reasonable use consistent with
land use. And really boards such as this are not charged with ma
As far as the volume of overall rock, the number, the 5,000,000
included are basically talked about the entire excavation. But t
lines of, I believe, 3,000,000 cubic yards over the life, entire
are actually looking at, as I stated before, is about 15,000 cub
little bit, when I mentioned that not being really a commerciall
thats, I think thats what we are figuring that you wouldnt wa
have about 15,000 cubic yards available; you want to wait, you k
to have enough of a stockpile so you can actually do some commer
the market would be somewhat limited by distance. There was test
commercial sellers would like to sell wherever they can on the i
the County is proposing here is that we simply want to dispose o
as a result of operations. Obviously, when you pull out a certai
order to make a waste cell and you put waste in there, you are n
you are not going to be able to use all of the rock that you do
and well need to dispose of, and that is all that we are lookin
the clientele for the rock would be limited by distance as cost
factor. The landfill has used about as much of the rock that it
point. And thats why we have the amount that has been stockpile
or so.
There was a mention of the environmental assessment exemption. A
explicitly permitted under HAR, Hawaii Administrative Rules, fo
believe its 12-200-8 dont quote me on that but there is a
which specifically allows agencies to declare an exemption withi
within HRS Chapter 343, in this case, operations of ongoing faci
apparently not be any more than minimal or no effects on the env
are doing is to have some change to operations, essentially just
the site. So this is something that in my write-up I did explain
including the Office of Environmental Quality Control, and we ar
or the department is authorized to make that kind of exemption f
Madam Chair, Id like to ask Mr. Whelan to comment briefly on th
operations as relates to the rock production.
GIFFIN: Yes, by all means.
WHELAN: We heard a comment earlier about the volume that we are
existing operations, which have been ongoing for some 17 years,
lava flow, which means its all rock. We go in there and excavat
So when we process some of that rock for daily cover, we also pr
landfill cells as a part of engineering process to develop those
designed to haul rubbish, there is excess material thats left o
facility. What we are asking to do is to be able to sell off tha
forward, we will continue to make landfill space available, as i
islands refuse on the leeward side. But we are not looking to e
landfill; all we are doing is as we create cells, we have to hav
material that is not used for either daily cover or future landf
process that is already ongoing. We are just looking for your ap
material and sell it off.
GIFFIN: Commissioners? Commissioner Bowman. You are inching towa
BOWMAN: I wish I was more astute on landfill operations. So when
excavating cells, thats basically like a puka to put the -.
WHELAN: Yeah, when we start off a particular cell. When the land
permitted, there was a defined area that a certain number of acr
EIS thats done on it; we are not looking to increase that size
time there, we take the one-acre, two-acre, three-acre parcels,
make a hole on the ground, more or less, then we go back in and
along with plastic liners and other things that make up the desi
two-acre, whatever parcel within there that weve excavated, as
when we take waste material comes through the gate, its weighed
the end of the day we take more of the rock that we processed an
flies and other things from it so its called a daily cover. W
are creating a new cell, we have to also take some of the rock t
process it, which we do now, and make that as bedding for this l
the landfill when the individual cells are full. When we do that
hole in the ground and we filled it with garbage, the amount tha
back in, so it creates an excess. The first five years that we w
and made the visual barriers and the roadways and infrastructure
that amount of time, since then weve been stockpiling this mate
point where the landfill itself is probably 40 percent or so ful
with garbage, the less storage space weve got to put the excess
point in time where we are coming before you to say we have all
to sell it off, and that allows obviously for us to then go in t
next year and then next year. But we are not looking to take the
a quarry business; we are looking to you, take the excess that w
landfill cells and be able to sell that off. Does that answer yo
BOWMAN: Yeah, it does. So what Ivan said was that to bid it out
your operations, but -.
WHELAN: No. Right. And the reason, we have in the past had contr
site that worked directly for us that have processed some materi
subcontracted to us. And because we are the manager of the landf
there are certain regulatory compliance and permit requirements
certainly a lot of liabilities that we have by the fact that we
have someone else outside of the company that helps us to proces
something that we are controlling, which is completely different
someone comes onto our permitted landfill and does some construc
influence that we would have as far as the regulatory.
BOWMAN: Okay. Just one last -. Pardon me. I hear 3,000,000 tons,
tons, and I cant quite do the math with 150 to 200 cubic yards.
WHELAN: Theres 3,000,000 yards in excess and thats -.
BOWMAN: Three million yards, not tons.
WHELAN: Yes. And the, its really 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 yards t
took every bit of stone thats inside the 300 acres and removed
We use some of that material, as I mentioned, to build new cells
never going to want to sell that off because thats part of the
permit to use. So only the excess over the 40-year life of the l
yards, which means that we are not producing a lot of excess on
BOWMAN: So 3,000,000 yards and I apologize, but I hear people
and then cubic yards, and Im confused so you are talking 3,00
WHELAN: Yards, right. And the numbers are different because obvi
rocks; so they weigh more than the natural yards, not one for on
BOWMAN: Okay, thank you.
GIFFIN: Any other questions? This material that you are proposin
WHELAN: Only if you are building roads or buildings or that sort
GIFFIN: So to a quarry operator, that would be valuable?
WHELAN: It would be, yes.
GIFFIN: Okay.
WHELAN: I mean, its rock, its, at this point its unprocessed
you know, thats why we want to, you know, remove it from the si
also would like to make a profit while we are doing it because i
GIFFIN: I guess my question is of the County, our staff. Jeff, t
asking if we have been given a copy of the environmental study.
there a reason that we did not, or did I miss it? Was it given t
DARROW: No, Madam Chair. As Ivan Torigoe had mentioned, the appl
under Chapter 343 and they had received an exemption. If you loo
applicant, there is a Declaration of Exemption, which goes into
review for the request of the exemption, and -.
GIFFIN: Jeff, can you tell us what page thats on?
DARROW: I dont think there is its within the application I
pages. Its after the site plan.
GIFFIN: Yeah, yeah.
DARROW: The No. 4 under well, let me get here within the Dec
have a memorandum that is attached, and under Roman numeral II,
sorry yes, under Roman numeral II, if you look at No. 4 under
says Consultation With Other Agencies, the applicant had consu
regarding this request for exemption. So it just wasnt somethin
Department of Environmental Management; the exemption list was t
they had consulted with many different departments regarding thi
Planning Department, as well as many other agencies that are lis
why there was no environmental assessment attached to the applic
GIFFIN: Okay, thank you. And I guess my other question is of Iva
from the testifiers regarding why not an open bid, I mean, is th
contemplate, or no?
TORIGOE: I think the general concern that we have, as stated by
regulated landfill, and so if at all possible I think both the C
like to avoid having private contractors who would be doing any
operations on the landfill because we want to make sure that the
violation of any of the landfill conditions.
If I may add also that if there is a real concern about the volu
or sold, I think, you know, we are stating repeatedly that all w
rock that is produced as a byproduct. So if, you know, there wou
simply states that there would be no excavation of rock beyond t
operations, and no sale of rock beyond what is necessary to main
would have a problem with that. Thats what we are representing.
GIFFIN: Any other questions of the applicant. Lani? Commissioner
BOWMAN: And again, maybe Public Works can answer this. Are there
around to utilize this? I dont know, maybe Im being a Pollyann
TORIGOE: To tell you the truth, we havent, I dont think we hav
there is a way to tell, you know, for any reasonably useful leng
you know, how much rock is going to be needed by County projects
of how that would be incorporated into the bidding process. Norm
projects, you know, you have bids that go out, and I suppose wha
make available to them some kind of County price list or somethi
the process. So I have to say that we have not looked closely at
forecast. And, you know, the plain fact of the matter is that we
difficult for us to make any commitment to say that we are going
off onto County projects. And we really have no way of telling w
projects is going to be.
IOKEPA: Madam Chair, I have a question.
GIFFIN: Commissioner Iokepa.
IOKEPA: So with respect to the original application that you did
wasnt part of that plan to mitigate this kind of material that
TORIGOE: I think it was always understood that there would be a
would have to be exported or, you know, dealt with in some way.
contract did have this provision for rock sales. Also, the execu
turned the land over to the County, made provisions for the DLNR
DLNR, of course, reserves the usual rights to the rock, so we wo
yeah, I think the record would show that this is something that
was always contemplated that the rock might be sold.
GIFFIN: Any other questions? Hang on one minute, Mike. Commissio
Bowman.
BOWMAN: You know, I watch members of the public and I just think
anything else, that would help us, because Im kind of, not conf
GIFFIN: Unsure.
BOWMAN: Unsure. Thank you. So maybe more testimony could help -.
GIFFIN: Yeah, I will, yeah, no, no, I was not going to say no, I
why dont you come up and -. There is a seat right here. Thats
LUCE: Thank you, Madam Chair. I just, as I sit here reminiscing
this permit was 306 acres that have ample land, a huge amount of
foreseeable future. And its not like 17 years later they go, O
Here is the land. We dig all these holes. It was always known, C
be a surplus. And the 306 acres allows ample place to get rid of
you, and, you know, maybe the County has projections that say th
dont recall that. The other thing is this thing about unfair co
businessman, thats very important to me. But I dont think, bec
request for an amendment to a condition and theyve exempted the
agencies support, you are not getting a lot of public testimony
environmental assessment with a comment period. And, you know, y
to check into they were so, they have a vested interested in t
operations and theyre employing people, too. So anyway, I basic
way over and above what was projected back in 1991. Thank you.
GIFFIN: Thank you, Mike. Commissioners, I -.
BOWMAN: I have another -.
GIFFIN: Good. Kevin, would you like to come up? Is that why your
TORIGOE: Madam Chair, I dont know if you would like to have one
people respond to that issue regarding whether you can stockpile
GIFFIN: Before we call on Kevin? Sure, sure.
TORIGOE: Thank you.
WHELAN: Since the original permit was issued, the County has det
completed construction on other areas of the landfill, I think,
probably about a third or so -.
BOWMAN: Could you show us on -?
WHELAN: For other types of waste management there would be gre
believe there is an area there for pounding vehicles, and there
are all future types of developments that the County has anticip
with fencing and blacktop and whatever and roadways and infrastr
be used at the landfill as they become economically feasible. It
Waste Management; its just a part of the site that they have co
makes that amount of land not available to stockpile material.
GIFFIN: Part of the 306 acres.
WHELAN: Yes, correct.
GIFFIN: Yeah, okay.
WHELAN: And currently what we have been doing is, on the actual
designated just for landfill cell development, we have been stoc
create new cells. And now we are at the point where about 40 per
created, which means we have less space to actually store the ex
GIFFIN: Okay, thank you. Mr. Balog.
BALOG: Just to clarify a few things. And Ill try and go real fa
outside person on the quarry wouldnt be compatible with their u
Leeward Planning Commission, but I know you are well traveled. I
they have a wonderful landfill operation. Theres quarries right
Management has, I believe, run rock trucks. They tell you right
stockpiling on other areas to deliver the raw rock thats unproc
and have that bid out from the County to another processor, or p
bid against other processors they have that ability. Thats no
next thing is that for some reason they are trying to tell you t
day. Well, I cant sit back there and stomach someone telling yo
operation; if a contractor tells you they need 1,000 tons today,
trucks, meaning one truck an hour thats impossible. And Im n
say thats what is going to happen its not. So when they tell
hour, thats not what is going to happen. And construction doesn
it today, you deliver it today. So if you need to have 50 loads
thats what is going out. Its not going to be Waste Management
selling something to for a profit, and says, You heed my schedu
Yes, when you have no work, it could possibly be one load an hou
going to be different. Have they done a traffic study to show th
you and you guys had good questions the original environment
theyve got an exemption. Yes, they did it in-house, its all le
why. Think about that. Hey, you guys are lucky; you had the chai
you what it said in 1991. So my thing is, think, act on your own
delay, ask questions, get more information. It doesnt prevent y
And, you know, thats all Ive got to say. Thank you for your ti
GIFFIN: Thank you.
BOWMAN: So, could we have an executive session to confer with ou
GIFFIN: Our corp. counsel? By all means, by all means. But I thi
NELSON: I so move.
GIFFIN: Okay. Second?
BOWMAN: Second.
GIFFIN: Its been moved by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Comm
into executive session to speak to our corp. counsel for input.
COMMISSIONERS: Aye.
GIFFIN: All those opposed? Okay.
EXECUTIVE SESSION The Commission went into executive session at
out of executive session at 12:58 p.m. by a motion made by
Commissioner Bowman, seconded by Commissioner Nelson, and
unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in
attendance.
GIFFIN: We are at the point of discussion, and so I would like t
HICKCOX: Madam Chair?
GIFFIN: Yes, Commissioner Hickcox.
HICKCOX: I believe that the scope and purview of this Commission
actual areas involving vehicular traffic and environmental areas
conditions as set forth in the studies that were presented to us
requirements in reference to air quality, etc. etc. and traffic
presentation to us. If there is anything that I see lacking as f
look at, it would perhaps be conditions that hold the applicant
application itself. So thats my point. Thank you.
GIFFIN: Thank you, Commissioner. Any other comments? I do think
Hickcox just said is well taken. Correct me if Im wrong that, J
condition that would cover the concerns that Commissioner Hickco
DARROW: Correct, Madam Chair.
GIFFIN: Okay. Any other comments? Commissioner Bowman.
BOWMAN: Nothing yet.
GIFFIN: Okay.
PUBLIC: Excuse me, Chair. Are you still taking any public commen
GIFFIN: No, at this point, Im sorry, we are not. We are trying
are trying to do is come to some sort of actually, what I woul
whatever but we are trying to formulate some sort of decision.
Jeff, although we didnt close public testimony, are we at the p
deliberation without any more input from the public?
DARROW: Yeah, its, at this point, if you are in deliberations,
and then a vote.
GIFFIN: Thank you very much. And we are at the point of delibera
got input from legal counsel, we are really deliberating. So, is
Commissioners, you have some feelings about in terms of this age
Bowman.
BOWMAN: You know, I think what confused me, or maybe, is that we
and I think weve been talking about the sales and who to sell i
thats under our purview. So I think its been confusing in a wa
know, what they are going to do with it; I mean its there, and
with it, so, I mean they do need to do something with it. So, yo
and how much, I think its not under our purview. I just wanted
BO
be
it
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BO
Us
MEC
GIFFIN: Oh, yeah, yes, thats why it would be 8. And thank you for
clarify, Commissioner Iokepa has moved and Commissioner Hickcox
favorable recommendation to the state Land Use Commission regard
LUC Docket No. SP 91-379, including the exclusion of the old Con
presented to us, and the renumbering of Condition No. 8 to becom
Condition No. 8, which would be similar to what we were told the
me if Im wrong, Commissioner Hickcox that this condition woul
representations that were made to us in todays hearing.
GI
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Pl
EX
DARROW: Commissioner Bowman?
BOWMAN: Aye.
DARROW: Commissioner Nelson?
NELSON: Aye.
DARROW: And Madam Chair?
GIFFIN: Aye.
DARROW: The motion passes, five to zero.
GIFFIN: Thank you.
The discussion ended at 1:07 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Noriko Sauer, Secretary
Leeward Planning Commission
21
EXHIBIT B