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From: Deanna Wentworth <br /> To: WPCtestimonv; LPCtestimonv <br /> Subject: Leeward Planning Commission Meeting 1/16/25 <br /> Date: Thursday,January 16,2025 2:13:55 PM <br /> Aloha Dear Planning Commission, <br /> I am writing as a concerned citizen of Big Island. I have called Opihikao Hawaii on the <br /> eastern tip of Big Island my home for the last 35 years. I have raised 4 children here and own <br /> a lovely home and worked for DOE for 20 years and am now retired and have 12 <br /> grandchildren on island. <br /> I am very committed to this place and this culture and would like to express my concerns <br /> regarding the general plan. <br /> I attended the last meeting the commission had in Pahoa a few months back. That was the <br /> first time I had heard of the plan as well as many in our community. At that meeting I was <br /> told to either register to testify in the beginning or speak after the council and General Plan <br /> team spoke. I chose to speak after I heard what they had to say. Unfortunately I felt rudely <br /> ignored and finally at the very end had to jump in and really advocate for myself to be heard. <br /> They listened but said they would have to get back to me and closed the meeting with me <br /> standing there with my mouth open... <br /> Zendo Kern is the head of this team and Pahoa is his hometown. Yet neither myself nor any <br /> of the people in my community even knew this General Plan 2045 existed 2 months ago when <br /> we were alerted by some friends from Kona about this meeting in Pahoa to review and ask <br /> questions. <br /> I wish to enter into record the following facts pertaining to the General Plan. <br /> It clearly states in this General Plan that any industries considered for particular areas would <br /> be carefully vetted to be aligned with the community character. My question to them is I have <br /> lived in the shadow of the Puna Geothermal venture for 35 years. I am regularly exposed to <br /> toxic fumes from them pumping chemicals into the wells. I was evacuated after a blowout <br /> they had for 3 weeks. At the time of that blowout cows were found dead the next day, women <br /> had miscarriages, and many were sickened by the exposure to the fumes. This is all <br /> documented. Also I have attended 3 large protests put on by many in the local Hawaiian <br /> community in Puna to try to bring attention to our thoughts that Puna Geothermal drilling into <br /> this sacred land where Pele makes her home and where the Hawaiian people revere and <br /> worship her is an act of terrorism in my opinion. <br /> The last administration has further given Puna geothermal more licences to drill here. Why? <br /> Sincerely <br /> Deanna Wentworth <br />