HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-09-20 Keith Neal Testimony
From: Keith Neal
To: Planning LPC Testimony
Cc: Kimball, Heather; Inaba, Holeka; Kagiwada, Jennifer; Villegas, Rebecca; Galimba, Michelle M.; Onishi, Dennis;
kleinfelder@hawaiicounty.gov; Alameda, Christian (Kimo); generalpla@hawaiicounty.gov
Subject: Testimony Bill 170 & Planning Department input
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026 5:48:15 PM
Aloha Leeward Planning Commission and Planning Department.
My concern is Hawaii county has a limited island electrical grid.
The Planning Department’s proposed definition of "data center" lacks sufficient clarity
and public interest safeguards
An unambitious definition grounded in what the facility physically contains and how
much power it draws must be found.
I support the following language:
"Data center" means a facility used for the industrial-scale operation of
computer systems and associated equipment [for the processing,
computing, transmission, or dissemination of digital data] that requires
supporting infrastructure beyond that typically accessory or incidental to
office, commercial, or public and private institutional uses[.], including a single facility and any campus of multiple facilities under common
ownership or control whose combined electrical demand meets or
exceeds 5 megawatts.
Mahalo for the opportunity to make input.
Keith Neal
Waimea