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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-01-22 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes Minutes for Tuesday, January 22, 2002Page 1 of 5 Return to: Home Page | Table of Contents | Commission Page ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MINUTES AS AMENDED Tuesday, January 22, 2002 9:17 a.m. Kona Police Department Conference Room 74-5221 Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i 96740   PRESENTALSO PRESENT :Barbara Bell:Councilman Curtis Tyler Mack AsatoSteve Cassulo Luana JonesJohn Ray Peter MartinBob Platt Sam KawamuraJon Olson David FrankelChristine Ross Mike Allen EXCUSED: Riley Smith Hugh Ono Carolyn Witcher STAFF :Galen Kuba Peter Boucher Larry Capellas Gerald Takase Kristen Griffiths 1.CALL TO ORDER Barbara Bell called the meeting to order at 9:17 a.m. 2.APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 28, 2001 MEETING Sam Kawamura moved to approve the minutes. David Frankel seconded the motion.Motion was unanimously carried. 3.STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA John Ray testified on a letter he wrote as President of Hawai‘i Leeward Planning Conference regarding the issue of hauling solid waste. Mr. Ray was hoping that the Commission can step back and separate the facts from the perceptions and put everything into context. In the context of the overall hauling, how big a deal is it really for a few loads of solid waste one way or another. Also noticed in the minutes from last month, the comments from Dante Carpenter of Pacific Waste. It sounds like it could be a repeat scenario of the bill that was before the legislature last year in which Hilo Processing wanted to get a special revenue bond. It was regarded as very premature. People in legislature got upset about it because there was no set policy of where we were going. Proposed Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Subdivision in Lalamilo in Waimea is a 400 lot residential subdivision with one small commercial component of about 3 ½ acres and about 16 acres of industrial. It is immediately adjacent to and down wind of the Waimea Transfer Station. The proposal is to put a commercial development on either side of the Transfer Station and 400 lots along the stream. Mr. Ray met with DHHL file://C:\Test1\minutes012202.htm6/22/2011 Minutes for Tuesday, January 22, 2002Page 2 of 5 and the consultant and submitted comments on the EA directly related to potential impacts of the transfer station and the old dump. Infrastructure costs are going to be substantial. DHHL will probably have to develop a water source such as a well and dedicate that to the County. Wastewater will become an issue. Jon Olson mentioned that on the County web site was a $6M appropriation being asked for of the state legislature for the Closure of the Hilo Landfill to create a dirty MRF to operate as a large receiving station with elevated refuse dump sites and a capability to repack refuse in special trailers. The Hilo Landfill will close in 30 months. Mr. Olson is concerned that we seem to have reached the conclusion that recycling, reuse and diversion at the transfer stations will have no significant impact on that closure date. Focusing the $6M simply on bringing it all to a new dumping site, repackaging it, and re-transporting it. That will eventually facilitate some kind of smoke stack conclusion. We know that the transportation issue is going to a political issue. There has been no substantive discussion of the impacts of this measure. Mr. Olson would like further discussion on the outcomes of this. Councilman Curtis Tyler spoke about a report in the newspaper regarding the Mayor’s Wish List. It was reported that at the top of the Mayor’s list was a $6M request to the legislature to develop a transfer station/storage area for transport. It mentioned that this was the first stage of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan which is under review. This is a high priority item because of the mandated closure of the Hilo Landfill. Sounds like we are back to the old long haul provision. Mr. Tyler wondered why we would be spending $6M to build a transfer station when, in fact, we really need to find a long term solution, not a short term solution. The role of the Environmental Management Commission seems to be one that is not being considered or one that is somehow being over stepped. Mr. Tyler also discussed his memo to Carolyn Witcher Re: the Proposed Sewer Improvement District to the north. In this memo, he outlined his three concerns re: the proposed districts which are covered by the attached resolution. Mr. Tyler’s legislative assistant had requested an opinion from the Office of the Corporation Counsel on 8/14/01 in connection with another water improvement district and only received a response recently. The Land Use Commission is considering the various memoranda as to their final decision. 4.APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA None. 5.REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE Director’s Report  As circulated. Approximate closure of the South Hilo Landfill and implementation of the ISWMP will cost approximately $1M. $1M is for feasibility analysis, conceptual plan, site selection, permitting, environmental assessment, and final design. $6M is for construction. Steve Cassulo stated that Waste Management is making the same amount of money no matter what amount of trash goes in to Pu‘uanahulu. Solid Waste Division Chief’s Report (Including Update on HOVE Transfer Station)  Larry Capellas discussed the HOVE Transfer Station. Wants the association to be part of the process of choosing the site. The Association promised to go to a realtor and get some listings of properties on the market. The Association was given some parameters as far as square footage, location, and access. If there is no response from the Association by 2/15/02, we will proceed without them. We need a Transfer Station facility before we close the landfill. Recommending that we should go with a Pre-Notice of a Request for Proposal in national magazines. Disaster Debris Action Manual was requested by the State with some money tied into it for reimbursing of part of our costs. It is part of a state wide program in which every county is involved in emergency preparedness. The State of Hawai‘i Department of Health and Civil Defense have the final review. file://C:\Test1\minutes012202.htm6/22/2011 Minutes for Tuesday, January 22, 2002Page 3 of 5 Wastewater Division Chief’s Report  Currently doing the study on the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant. Letter from John Ray of the Hawai‘i Leeward Planning Conference  Peter Martin moved to file. Mack Asato seconded the motion. Motion was unanimously carried. 6.OLD BUSINESS Establishing Solid Waste and Wastewater Fees by the Environmental Management  Commission Discussed ordinances as New Business. Sewer Improvement District/North Kona (Kealakehe to Kohanaiki)  Councilman Tyler has several concerns. In response to memo dated 12/3/01 from Curtis Tyler to Carolyn Witcher, Gerald Takase stated that all properties in the boundary should be included as part of that improvement district. Curtis Tyler mentioned that phase I and II are required to hook up. Mr. Tyler does support this, but wants to be sure that what we are doing will be in accordance with the Improvement District Ordinance. 7.NEW BUSINESS Approval of Ordinance Amending Chapters 20 and 21, Hawai‘i County Code, Replacing  All References to the Department of Public Works with the Department of Environmental Management, and Adding the Definition of Environmental Management Commission David Frankel suggested to change "By Commission" to "By Commission, By Rule". There are two ways for the Commission to adopt the fee. One is to adopt generic rule which gives the Commission the authority at a regular meeting to set the rates. The alternative is each time you change the rates, you go through the rule-making process, which is a more formal process. Peter Boucher suggested that we set up a structure in which you have revised statutes and administrative rules where the Council can amend the code. The code deals with the broadest type of issues, authorities, responsibilities and goals. The rules procedure to be determined. Jon Olson stated that these ordinances potentially impede the extended use of the transfer stations. On page 2, paragraph C "Certain transfer stations will be…" should be changed to "…may be…", so the County will not be obligated to restrict the use of the transfer stations. David Frankel moved that the Environmental Management Commission approve the Ordinance Amending Chapters 20 and 21, Hawai‘i County Code, Replacing All References to the Department of Public Works with the Department of Environmental Management, and Adding the Definition of Environmental Management Commission. David Frankel will sit down with Jon Sam Olson and work on a separate bill that addresses Jon’s issues to be brought up at the next meeting. Kawamura seconded the motion. Peter Boucher mentioned that page 11, section B-1, should be Peter Martin moved to amend. Mack Asato seconded the changed to read as "…one-half of…" motion. Vote taken.  For Against Barbara Bell X file://C:\Test1\minutes012202.htm6/22/2011 Minutes for Tuesday, January 22, 2002Page 4 of 5 Mack AsatoX   David Frankel X Sam Kawamura X Luana JonesX   Peter MartinX   Amendment fails the vote. In regards to the main motion, Gerald Takase mentioned that there are two changes. The sections that say the Director of Department of Public Works has authority over Solid Motion was unanimously carried. Waste and Wastewater will be eliminated. Approval of Ordinance Amending § 20-49, Fee Schedule, Transferring the Solid Waste Fee  Setting Authority from the Council to the Environmental Management Commission David Frankel moved that the Environmental Management Commission support the Ordinance Amending § 20-49 Fee Schedule for Solid Waste with the amendment that there be a reference to Setting the Fees By Commission, By Rule. Sam Kawamura seconded. Unanimously carried. Approval of Ordinance Amending Chapter 21 Transferring the Sewer Service Charge Rate  Setting Authority from the Council to the Environmental Management Commission David Frankel moved to pass Ordinance Amending Chapter 21 relating to the Sewer Service Charge Rate Setting with the similar amendment of "By Commission, By Rule". Mack Asato seconded. Unanimously carried. SWAC Issues  Hauling of Refuse and Residuals to Pu‘uanahulu  There is no objection to hauling refuse to Kona until there is something on board. Recycling Objectives  The consultants have presented four alternatives: leave the system alone, increased recycling, aggressive recycling and very aggressive recycling. Peter Martin stated that we need to look at highest and best use for paper, rubber, and newspaper. Need historic information on costs from the consultants. Steve Cassulo suggested that the Commission get exact costs on what these things cost you and to find out where they are operating and how much they actually take in. There is not a whole lot of gasification going on in the United States. It is not really proven for a certain amount of solid waste. Barbara Bell mentioned that we need to know the breakpoints of traditional recycling and breakpoints for paper in Hawai‘i. Peter Martin stated that paper is a feed stock for many of these technologies. Very Aggressive Aggressive  Recycling Recycling Barbara Bell X Mack AsatoX   David Frankel X Sam KawamuraX   file://C:\Test1\minutes012202.htm6/22/2011 Minutes for Tuesday, January 22, 2002Page 5 of 5 Luana Jones X Peter MartinX   Mike Allen stated that if you have a tipping fee that is high enough, you will be able to divert all kinds of material from the landfill. The County needs to develop an ordinance restricting certain items from the landfill. Current prices for cardboard, white paper and newspaper are $17/ton, $65/ton, and $17/ton, respectively. Suggested the purchase of large bailers which can reduce volume of waste up to 4 or 5 times. If some technology comes out, you can go to the landfill and pull those bails out at a later time and use that resource. Waste Reduction Alternatives – Acceptance of Thermal Gasification, Incineration and  Anaerobic Digestion David Frankel wants a report from the consultants using landfilling as a benchmark. Wants economic analysis. Wants the long haul to Pu‘uanahulu put into the economic analysis of the options. How much is recyclable at what price? Market prices? It is going to cost you this much to recycle this many tons per day. Wants a commodity by commodity analysis. General Agenda Items for the Year  Not discussed. 8.FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Jon Olson and David Frankel’s Ordinance Grease Study from Brown & Caldwell 9.ANNOUNCEMENTS Wednesday, February 27, 2002, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., Hawai‘i County Council Room, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 201, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720. Wednesday, February 27, 2002, 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Hawai‘i County Council Room, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 201, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720. Wednesday, March 27, 2002, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Waimea. 10.ADJOURNMENT David Frankel moved to adjourn the meeting. Peter Martin seconded the motion. Motion was carried unanimously. Meeting was adjourned at 12:40 p.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: ___________________________________ KRISTEN GRIFFITHS Interim Environmental Management Secretary Return to: Home Page | Table of Contents | Commission Page ©Copyright 2002 County of Hawaii, Hawaii file://C:\Test1\minutes012202.htm6/22/2011