HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-02-26 EMC Agenda
C. Kimo Alameda, Ph.D.Erica Perez
MayorChair
Wesley R. SegawaDorothy Norris
Director, Department ofVice Chair
Environmental Management
County of Hawai‘i
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
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MEETING AGENDA
Pursuant to Hawai‘i Revised Statutes Chapter 92, this meeting will be online with a location
available to the public. The public may attend either in person, online, or by telephone.
DATE: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
TIME: 9:00 a.m.
IN PERSON: Puna Conference Room, Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni St, Hilo
ONLINE: Via Zoom https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1612028078
(Meeting ID: 161 202 8078)
PHONE: +1 669 254 5252 (Enter the meeting ID, see above)
STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: To ensure timely delivery to commissioners, written
testimony must be submitted before 12:00 noon on the business day prior to the meeting by (1)
email to Tiffany.Wallace@hawaiicounty.gov or (2) facsimiles to (808) 961-8086. When
submitting written testimony, please specify for which agenda item it is being submitted. All
written testimony will be part of the permanent record. Pursuant to HRS §92-3, interested
persons who want to provide oral testimony may do so either at the time the Commission takes
public statements on items on the agenda, or at the time the specific agenda item is called,
subject to applicable statutes and rules of procedure.
I.CALL TO ORDER
II.APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR JANUARY 29, 2025
1.Executive meeting minutes
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2.Regular meeting minutes
III.INTRODUCTION OF DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
DIRECTOR WESLEY R. SEGAWA
IV.PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
V. REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE
1.Director’s Informational Report
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II.2 – Regular minutes – https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/1/doc/145192/Page1.aspx
A. Legislative update
B.Solid Waste Division Updates
C. Wastewater Division Updates
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D. Integrated Wastewater Management Plan Updates
E.Update regarding Mayor’s task force to fill County employee vacancies
VI. NEW BUSINESS
1.Action item: the Commission will decide whether to issue a letter to County Council
and the Department of Environmental Management to provide advice, comments, or
recommendations regarding the County of Hawaii’s Emergency Proclamation issued
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for the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant.
2.Presentation on Keaukaha Wastewater Study by authors Dr. Tracy Wiegner and Dr.
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Steve Colbert.
3. Barbara Bell from the nonprofit Puako For Reefs will present community based
solutions to manage sewage impacts to Puako Reef.
4. Action item: the Commission will decide whether to issue a letter to County Council
and the Department of Environmental Management to provide advice, comments, or
recommendations regarding State of Hawaii, House of Representatives Bill 1362,
which proposes an appropriation of $6,000,000 to expand the sewer network and lines
in Keaukaha, Hilo.
5. Commissioner Otsuka will update the Commission regarding a draft letter concerning
staffing issues at the Department of Environmental Management.
VII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
1. Other (Commissioners may suggest items they would like to place on the next
agenda.)
VIII.ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 27, 2025 at Community Meeting
Hale (Building G). Please contact the Board Secretary or review the agenda posted on
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the County Calendar within six days of the next meeting for confirmation.
See
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current schedule for EMC meetings for 2025.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
Note: A meeting held by interactive conference technology shall be automatically recessed for
up to 30 minutes to restore communication when audiovisual communication cannot be
maintained with all members participating in the meeting or with the “in person” location
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V.1.D: IWWMP - https://www.dem.hawaiicounty.gov/projects/integrated-wastewater-management-plan
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VI.1: Emergency Proclamation Relating to Hilo WWTP -
https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/1/doc/145210/Page1.aspx
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VI.2: Research Article - https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/1/doc/145206/Page1.aspx
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VI.2: Journal of Hydrology - https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/1/doc/145207/Page1.aspx
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VIII.1: Hawai‘i County Calendar - https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/county-calendar
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VIII.1: 2025 schedule - https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/Weblink/1/doc/143918/Page1.aspx
identified in this agenda. The meeting may reconvene when either audiovisual communication is
restored, or audio-only communication is established after an unsuccessful attempt to restore
audiovisual communication. If it is not possible to reconvene the meeting as provided in this
subsection within 30 minutes after an interruption to communication, the meeting will be in
recess and will attempt to reconvene at 1:00 p.m. on the same day, using the same meeting ID
listed on Page 1 of this agenda. If at that time a quorum of remote members and the in-person
members are unable to establish and maintain at least an audio-only connection by 1:15 p.m.,
then the meeting shall be automatically terminated. The regular meeting place is accessible to
persons with disabilities. To request an auxiliary aid or language translation, please call (808)
961-8083 five days prior to the meeting date. Comments may be sent to the Department of
Environmental Management, 3d
to cohdem@hawaiicounty.gov.
Notice to lobbyists:
five days of becoming a lobbyist. \[Chapter 2, Article 15, Section 2-
A lobbyist means “any individual engaged for pay or other consideration who spends more than five
hours in any month or $275 in any six-month period for the purpose of attempting to influence
legislative or administrative action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public
officials.” \[Chapter2, Article 15, Section 2-
and expenditure report documents are available at the Office of the County Clerk-Council, 25