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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLEPC Meeting Minutes 022025Local Emergency Planning Committee February 20, 2025 Page 1 Hawaii County LEPC Meeting Minutes Civil Defense EOC and via ZOOM February 20, 2025 Members Present: Gerald Kosaki/LEPC Chair, Talmadge Magno/Civil Defense, Darwin Okinaka/HFD, Kilipaki Kanae/HFD EMS, David Cummings/Hamakua Energy Partners, Ha Chi/HBMC, Sandor Finkey/HPD Technical Services Members Present via Zoom: Chris Leonard/Media, Jordan Hara/PGV, Matthew Ho/HFD Hazmat, Casey Kishimori/HECO Non-Members Present: Jordyn Mantz/Fire Admin., Thu Perry/DOH, Elizabeth Galvez/DOH, Cyanne Becker/ DOH PHP, Non-Members Present via Zoom: Andrew Kendrick/PHMSA-Pipeline Safety Liaison, Sharon Leonida/DOH HEER Members Absent: Terri Napeahi/Keaukaha Action Network, Makalani Pina/Dept. of Agriculture, Thomas Gilmore/DOH HEER, Neil O’Heron/BEI Hawaii, Alfred Leung/Pacific Biodiesel, Orasa Fernandez/DOE, Eric Honda/ DOH, Mike Diehl/ Military I. CALL TO ORDER: 09:00AM Called to order. II. STATEMENTS FROM PUBLIC: None III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Previous meeting did not have enough quorum to approve August 8th, 2024 Meeting minutes. Okinaka moves to approve, Sandow Finkey seconded. November 11th, 2024, meeting Okinaka moved to approve, Jordan Hara seconded. Both minutes passed. IV. COUNTY REPORTS: a. CIVIL DEFENSE Talmadge Magno: Two public meetings coming up, sharing with the community an update on the final draft of the County’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant. There will be a meeting in West Hawai’i Civic Center February 24th, 5:00-7:00pm, and a meeting Nā Leo Hilo 5:00-7:00pm. This is a required plan per FEMA to be able to receive FEMA funding and it is updated every 5 years. i. Gerald to Talmadge: How was training last Saturday with the training evacuation route? 1. Talmadge: 180 vehicles participated, which was the highest count ever participated. It was good for the winter due to the significant number of snowbirds. We’ve done it 4 times before, but this one we realized we needed a State Highways permit because we are affecting Queen K. Highway. We coned off the center way which Local Emergency Planning Committee February 20, 2025 Page 2 made the highway slow down. We enforced the right hand turn only, couldn’t make it to the Kona bound lane. Did an IAP for the whole event. b. HFD Darwin Okinaka: Nothing significant for incidents. New Hazmat Apparatus for Kaumana are in the procurement process up to four years. There was a Hazmat Technician class where we trained 24 personnel. Included current rescue and hazmat personnel, as well as personnel currently temporarily assigned to this position. This is Operations level training. We also just held our first meeting for CST training last week. Will be in April and will be a week-long training. c. HFD HAZMAT Matthew Ho: No incidents since last meeting. d. HFD EMS Kilipaki Kanae: Safety DOH was gracious enough to purchase CRP unit, which has been shipped and is coming. Large communication links can go into the hitch of any receiver of a pick-up truck or any other vehicle. Can trailer it to where it needs to be and deploy it. It has wi-fi and cellular service. Kind of like a mobile telecommunication tower. No home or protocols for it yet, good to have it in the event of emergency or disasters. i. Kosaki to Kanae: When it is deployed, everyone in that area range has access to service? 1. Kanae: Yes, depending on the type of service it provides. 2. Kosaki: Within that radius, can the community use it as well? 3. Kanae: Yes, that’s how it was utilized in Lahaina. It ran off of diesel and power supply, it had multiple of them station on the back of trucks. Community can utilize it as well, it is not limited to only first responders. ii. Galvez to Kanae: Relating to 2018 eruptions, could we use this for air monitoring capabilities? 1. Kanae: That is something we would have to work with having a protocol in place for this on how it gets deployed. 2. Kosaki: Wonder if there’s a capacity for this? 3. Kanae: Yes, depending on the sims, etc. But also it does have a cost for it. 4. Leonard: For the purpose of calling in remote areas, you can use Starlink even on batter an doing wi-fi calling just like a regular call. Also works as a mobile unit and can put it in a vehicle. 5. Kili: Yeah, you can do Starlink subscriptions on the spot. e. HPD Sandor Finkey: Major Sandow Finkey, HPD Technical Services Division. Spoke with Major Evangelista, waiting on some maps to be completed and finalized for the Tsunami Response plan. He said that Asia was helping with that, and we will have to follow up on it. V. INDUSTRY PARTNERS: a. BEI Hawai’i Neil O’Heron: Not Present. Local Emergency Planning Committee February 20, 2025 Page 3 b. PGV Jordan Hara: The plant is running good. We currently have 10 running units. Re-power for the new plant is scheduled for August of 2026. With the vog, do we have any air monitoring currently happening? Is there any particular monitoring we should be doing? i. Kosaki to Hara: I know we did in 2018. ii. Magno: UH Hawai’i in conjunction with weather service, they put out a Vmap that has the levels of air quality. We put out messaging when the fallout becomes pushed toward adjacent communities. iii. Hara: How often do they test and monitor? iv. Magno: Still have on EPA certified monitor that tests every couple of seconds. It’s located North of the vent, where the main visitor center is. v. Galvez: There’s Hawai’ Air Quality Data Map and Vmap does a forecast of where it is expected to be vi. Hawai’i Air Quality Data Map: https://air.doh.hawaii.gov/home/map vii. Vmap: http://weather.hawaii.edu/vmap c. HAMAKUA ENERGY PARTNERS Dave Cummings: Hired a new manager Anthony Pastrama. Used to be with Pacific Biodiesel, and started two weeks ago. d. PACIFIC BIODIESEL Alfred Leung: Not Present. e. HECO Casey Kishimori: Reminder that HECO has an active pipeline, any questions please let me know and I can direct you to my supervisor. f. MEDIA Chris Leonard: Hawai’i Association of Broadcasters just did a study for every county, a propagation study. It showed the coverage of all the stations with the terrain involved. South Point and Hāwi are Hawai’i County’s connection weak spots. This highlights what is and is not covered, and real-world weak spots. We hope to have a report within the next week on this and can share it with Civil Defense. Longly Rice Propagation Study was done on protected coverage area, tower location, and topography of the island to find weak spots. Tells you areas where we thought we had decent coverage or not enough to penetrate through households. g. PHMSA: Andy Kendrick: Presentation on Hawai’i Pipeline Association DOT reporting overview and potential rupture protocol. The presentation is below under New Business. VI. STATE REPORTS: a. DOH HEER/HSERC Sharon Leonida: Next HSERC meeting will be on March 14th on zoom or in person at the office in Pearl City. Currently working on getting checks approved in December. Upcoming reports on solar farms that are operating and trying to get them to Tier II report. b. DOH Elizabeth Galvez: Wanted to add, lithium-ion battery, last week had an e- bike with two batteries stored in a cabinet and it spontaneously combusted. He was okay and could extinguish it himself with a fire hose. Look under EPCRA and HSERC start to report storage of Lithium-Ion batteries as a Tier II facility. Allow DOH to do legwork to have these storages do Tier II reporting. With the grant, we’re planning to update the Hazmat August timeframe. We have one, but Local Emergency Planning Committee February 20, 2025 Page 4 it’s not tested or updates. Have contractors to work with Hawai’i County and a “who to call list.” Will be working with Gerald. Tactical Chemistry for HFD, the training is usually provided at the Hazmat Continuing Challenge. Planning to do this in July timeframe. The letter was sent to Battalion Chief Patrick Springer for one-day training. PAR Hawai’i bought new equipment. Noticed there’s always a propane incident. Usually with homeowners with propane tanks. Working on having flyers distributed so that when they refill a propane tank, you get a flyer on how to manage propane tanks. c. DOH Eric Honda: Not Present. d. DOH Public Health Preparedness Cyanne Becker: No new H5N1 updates. Because of what is going on with the federal government, processes are slow, and people are afraid to talk. Planning to do a tsunami awareness training in conjunction with The Tsunami Museum. DOH is in a tsunami evacuation zone. What is the feedback on how you would like our nurses to help with a response in the event of an evacuation. Up to Incident Command and EOC to make the call on this (Talmadge Magno). We would like to plan what supplies we would need. What are the biological and chemical hazards in the event of a tsunami? How are we supposed to approach these hazards and help as a team? What do we need to put into this training. I am open ears for any feedback and advice on this. i. Kosaki to Becker: When helping with these drills and exercises, DOH can be apart of this. Can work closely with EMS to provide nurses, etc. ii. Magno: Our plan calls for the mitigation zone and the evacuation zone. HPD is wrapping up the evacuation map. iii. Becker: Let us know how DOH can help with this and we can have a discussion. Lots of nurses are able to help, just now sure how. iv. Magno: Working with The Tsunami Museum helps with the concept of impact injuries and infection post-tsunami. We can talk and work together to figure out roles for DOH, but DOH needs to figure out their Continuity of Operations Plans. Working with other state agencies to figure out where DOH can COOP. v. Becker: Talked with National Guard and UH. Already put our COOP plan, just need MOUs to have a place to have our COOP approved. vi. Hara: Question, on industrial companies affected by tsunami area, I assume they have a tidal wave response? Some type of planning on how their equipment and chemical fuels are affected by tsunami, also how the evacuation will affect the evacuation process? vii. Kosaki: Tier II companies all have an emergency response plan, usually fire does a pre-plan and reviews it. viii. Magno: We usually interact with these companies, such as the harbors with the tsunami evacuation plans and training. Also work with the airports on relocating equipment that is evacuated. Local Emergency Planning Committee February 20, 2025 Page 5 ix. Becker: In the basement of DOH, policies wanted to switch to environmentally friendly cards, is there a fire hazard to these hybrid cars being in the basement? x. Galvez: Yes, they have the potential to spontaneously combust. Having them in the basement is not a great idea, but not sure what laws are in place regarding this, suggest having them parked outside. xi. Becker: Will have to go into the basement and pull them out in the event of an emergency? Need a better plan… xii. Galvez to Becker: Let’s talk more on this. xiii. Magno: More you get out during evacuation, the less will have to be cleaned up post-emergency. xiv. Okinaka: If concern is for tidal wave and evacuation, based on the time before impact. If imminent danger, leave immediately. But if there is time, you can move the vehicles if possible. xv. Becker: Got it, just letting everyone know for fire hazard purposes. xvi. Okinaka: In the event that one of them were to catch fire in a tsunami, it works better to have them flooded in a confined space. xvii. Becker: Concerned however if this is below a 2-story building. xviii. Kosaki: Anyone taking the DOH Hawai’i District Health Position for Eric Honda and/or Thomas Gilmore? xix. Galvez: No, it will go back to Oahu. xx. Becker: I can be replaced as the DOH Public Health Preparedness. e. DOE Orasa Fernandez: Not Present f. HBMC Ha Chi: For the hospital, early January our emergency generator failed. 40-year-old generator blew up and sent oil around the room during a routing testing. The county supported and got us a generator from Wastewater. Procuring for a new one coming in. It is portable and can be plugged in from the outside. Receiving $4 million for the one that blew up. There is radiation training where first responder training for radiation patients will be held on Oahu at the Queen’s Hospital. There is also training on DECONing patients. i. Magno to Chi: Question,was HBMC affected by the low-pressure and power outtages? ii. Chi: Yes, the generator kicked on during it and was able to sustain the building. The loaner actually had more power than the one that blew up. g. Dept. of Ag Makalani Pina: Not present i. Magno to Kosaki: We have a different contact for Dept. of Agriculture. I will let Gerald know who is the new contact. ii. Military Mike Deihl: Not Present VII. OLD BUSINESS: i. None VIII. NEW BUSINESS: a. April of this year is April 21st to April 24th NASTTPO Workshop. Local Emergency Planning Committee February 20, 2025 Page 6 b. Community Right to Know Act Tier II Reporting. Thu Perry will be going over a presentation with the DOH RMPs. i. Kosaki: One person from LEPC to attend? Around $6,000 and includes a plane ticket, hotel, etc. 1. Motion to approve one LEPC member + Gerald? 2. Kilipaki Kanae motioned to approve, Sandor Finkey seconded. 3. Notify Gerald Kosaki if you are willing to attend. If multiple people want to attend, will have to choose based on criteria as member of good standing, time on committee, and number of attendances in the past. The deadline to submit interest is by February 28th to notify as soon as possible. c. Election of CO-Chair person for LEPC i. Wait till next meeting to see if someone is interested. Will have nominations to elect it. d. Hawai’i Pipeline Association Andrew Kendrick Presentation i. DOT Reporting Overview. 1. For NRC DOT Accident Reporting: 1 hour to call, distribute to Police, Fire, Coast Guard, LEPC. 48 hour update and written report 30 days. 2. For State of Hawai’i DOH/HEER Reporting: Immediate call (Call DOH first), written report within 30 days. ii. Notice of Potential Rupture Criteria: 1. Criteria pipeliners must know to trigger a potential rupture. NOPR Response, call 911/national response for notice of a potential rupture and might have an emergency, also contact LEPC a. Okinaka to Kendrick: Regarding notification and if they do not know yet, can they call the non-emergency number? b. Kendrick: No, federal government has them required to call 911 c. Okinaka: Only concern is 911 is for emergencies, not necessarily for information. Interesting to see how Police and Fire Dispatch would manage this. d. Kendrick: Yes, we will have to work with dispatch on how to manage this. e. Kosaki: When did this federal regulation take effect? f. Kendrick: Came out in 2022 and currently it is in effect. Pipeline ruptures are so rare so no clients in Hawai’i had to call. e. Tier II RMP Presentation Thu Perry DOH RMP Coordinator i. EPCRA/HEPCRA Mandated facilities submit chemicals/etc. for Community Right to Know Act Tier II Reporting. ii. Tier II Requirements to Report: 1. Use or store 10,000lbs or more of hazardous substances. Local Emergency Planning Committee February 20, 2025 Page 7 2. Extremely hazardous substances of 500lbs or more. 3. Retail gas stations 75,000 of gasoline, 100,000 gallons diesel. 4. Exemptions: food, food additives, and color, drug or cosmetic regulated by FDA. Substance for personal use, consumer consumption products. Substances used in medical, fertilizer farm, etc. iii. Annual Reporting deadline March 1st. Submitting online electronically is $200. iv. Rise Management Plan facilities are also Tier II facilities. 1. Preventing accidental airbone chemical releases from larger complex facilities that can impact surrounding community. v. Fire Rating NFPA 4: Flammable Liquids & Exemptions 1. Need plans of worst-case scenario a. Diethyl ether b. Pentane c. Ligroin d. Heptane e. Petroleum ether vi. RMP facilities in Hawaii: 8 facilities, 2 facilities reported to Thu. vii. Galvez to Leonida: Supposed to report once if you’re holding a big amount of fertilizer, etc. A lot of stores that sell fertilizer to people for home personal use, and don’t have to report cause the quantity is not that great. IX. ANNOUNCEMENTS a. None X. NEXT MEETING: Thursday, May 22nd, 2025, 09:00-11:00. EOC confirmed for location. XI. ADJOURNMENT: Meeting Adjourned at 10:48AM.