HomeMy WebLinkAboutPL-SPP-2022-000025 L. Panglao Testimony 04.05.23 DISTRIBUTED AT 4-6-23
WPC HEARING ITEM#1
ASIAA (PL-SPP-2022-025)
From: Lori Panolao TESTIMONY- L. PANGLAO
To: WPCtestimony
Subject: Special permit app 4/6/23 ASIAA
Date: Wednesday,April 5,2023 8:54:49 AM
To: County of Hawaii, Windward Planning Commission
From: Lori Panglao
Re: Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA)
Special Permit Application (PL-SPP-2022-25)
To whom this may concern,
We own property near ASIAA's proposed FRB research site and have have serious
concerns about the negative impact that this development could have on our land,
open spaces, plants and animals, economy and our rural culture. As a result we
oppose their special permit application. We have listed and elaborated upon our
concerns below.
Concern 1: The lack of understanding of Fast Radio Bursts (FRB) of which
this project would be receiving.
• As with all new developments there will be unforeseen consequences. Our
community should not be exposed to this risk.
Concern 2: Radio wave pollution of our "open spaces".
• As noted in ASIAA's application Ka'u is an area with low to no radio wave
pollution. This is a feature of our rural environment that our people, plants and
animals enjoy. To justify a project placement (and the associated radio wave
pollution it will bring) based on the lack of existing pollution is unacceptable.
Concern 3: Injury and death of bees and endemic listed (endangered) species
due to radio wave pollution.
• There is an existing body of scientific evidence that indicates that
electromagnetic and radio fields negatively impact wildlife and plants.
• Located just 2 miles from our forest reserve, the radio waves from this project
could negatively impact the endemic plants and animals nearby.
Concern 4: Negative impact upon our agricultural lands and associated
financial losses.
• Bees are an integral part of the agricultural process. The potential injury and
death of our bees due to radio wave pollution would negatively impact our
farms and threaten our livelihoods.
• The potential negative impact that the radio waves from this project could pose
upon our ecosystem is not worth the risk.
Concern 5: Misrepresented economic benefit
• While this application indicates a present and future economic benefit of
hosting this project site the reality is that there will be minimal benefit and it
will be limited to the initial phase of construction. Furthermore this initial
construction is not guaranteed to be granted to a Ka'u based company.
• Given that ASIAA is in Taiwan, whatever research that is gained from this site
will be credited to Taiwan. As a result, financial benefits coming from this
research will go to Taiwan as well. To incur all the risk related to the study of
this "unknown" phenomenon and reap little if any of the benefits is a bad
gamble.
Concern 6: Increasing negative perception of the field of Astronomy
• This project does not align with the Ka'u development plan. This plan makes
clear what our community wants. The ASIAA satellite does not align with that.
• While some may think well of astronomy practices in Hawaii, as witnessed on
Mauna Kea in 2015 and 2019, there are many that do not. The way that the
astronomy community has colonized the mountain tops of Hawaii does not sit
well with many.
Concern 7: Future misuse and abuse of"special permit use" of agricultural
lands in our area.
.This special permit does not honor Ka'u's Community Development Plan
Section 4.3.2 regarding Land Use Policy.
.As noted in ASIAA's special application and a planning director Zendo Kern's
revision letter, this project will encourage more development of its kind in
Ka'u. Given what has been noted above, this is not a good thing.
My husband was born and raised in Ka'u as was his mother. I have lived in Ka'u for
the past 40 years. We raised our children here. We have many family members
here. We love our community and value the rural culture that has persevered here
for decades. Today we ask that you help to protect and preserve our home. Please
do not approve ASIAA's FRB research site in Ka'u.
My husband was born and raised in Ka'u as was his mother. I have lived in Ka'u for
the past 40 years. We raised our children here. We have many family members
here. We love our community and value the rural culture that has persevered here
for decades. Today we ask that you honor Ka'u's Community Development Plan
Section 4.3.2 regarding Land Use Policy. Please do not approve ASIAA's FRB
research site in Ka'u.
Mahalo for your time and consideration,
Lori and Glenn Panglao
Sources
Ka'u Community Development Plan
htips://www.hawaiicounly.gov/home/showdocument?
id=304234&t=637799914051370000
Haggerty,Kate "Adverse Influence of Radio Frequency Background on Trembling
Aspen Seedlings: Preliminary Observations", International Journal of Forestry
Research, vol. 2010, Article ID 836278, 7 pages,
2010. https://doi.org/10,1155/2010/836278
Levitt BB, Lai HC, Manville AM. Effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic
fields on flora and fauna, part 1 . Rising ambient EMF levels in the
environment. Rev Environ Health. 2021 May 27;37(1):81-122. doi:
10.1515/reveh-2021-0026. PM I D: 34047144.
Morrison, J. Electronics' noise disorients migratory
birds. Nature(2014). https://doi.oro/l 0.1 038/nature.2014.1 5176
Thielens, A., Bell, D., Mortimore, D.B. et al. Exposure of Insects to Radio-
Frequency Electromagnetic Fields from 2 to 120 GHz. Sci Rep 8, 3924
(2018). https://doi.ora/l 0.1038/s41598-018-22271-3
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