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Home My WebLink About2011-05-25 Environmental Management Commission MinutesENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION May 25, 2011 Hilo Liquor Control Conference Room, 2 "d Floor, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 230, Hilo, HI And Sort Station, East Hawaii Sanitary Landfill, Leilani Street, Hilo, H1 COMMISSIONERS ALSO PRESENT: _ Scott Enright PRESENT: Mina Apostadiro Sherm Warner David Austin Stan Boren Sanne Berrig Paulette Holley John Bowman Bruce Lim Lani Bowman Steven Okol'i Rico Bowman Michelle Zalenski Genevieve Boyle Paul Buklarewicz EXCUSED: Steven Pavao Dale Burton (Sort Station Tour) Christine Dochin Marni Herkes Cathy Hirayama Pete Hoffmann, Councilmember Nancy Cook Lauer Dwayne Mukai, Water Board Jon Olson Joshua Page Shon Pahio Milton Pavao, DWS Isabel Steinhol✓T Gail Sullivan Rick Sumada, DWS 1. CALL TO ORDER & ANNOUNCEMENTS: Commission Chair Scott Enright called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH 23 2011 MEETING MINUTES: Commissioner Paulette Holley moved to approve the March 23, 2011 minutes as written. Commissioner Sherm Warner seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. 3. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND /OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA: The Chair indicated that, with concurrence by the commissioners, the presentation by Department of Water Supply and discussion on Alternate Billing Systems for Water and Sewer Accounts would be taken as the first Item under NEW BUSINESS. Commissioners concurred. 4. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA: Jon Olson requested that the commission take a more forceful role in the Hilo Landfill closure issue and recycling mandate. Paul Buklarewicz told the group that the State E -Waste Program was not effective. He also noted that the back -up of a -waste at the closed drop -off sites has been resolved and will be removed. He stated that one -day a -waste disposal events are not enough and strongly suggested drop -off sites be kept open. He informed the commission that on June 30, 2011, the State Used Motor Oil Program will no longer be funded. Options that are being discussed are (1) using the oil as a resource by processing or reprocessing; (2) requesting HELCO to pick up the oil from the drop- off locations to bum (this would require them to request an amendment to their DOH permit); (3) amending the County DOH transfer station permits to allow used oil collection at the transfer stations. (How to dispose of this oil is still being studied.) 5. CORRESPONDENCE /REPORTS/DISCUSSION: Director's Report (attached to original minutes) Additional discussion: Resolution 79 -11 authorizing the acquisition of private property by eminent domain for the OCEAN VIEW RECYCLING AND TRANSFER STATION is on the May 31, 2011 Council Finance Committee agenda. HILO BASEYARD RFP was cancelled due to bids being too high. The specs will be revised and taken out to bid again. The Director introduced Sanna Berrig who was hired as the new HI5 Specialist working out of West Hawai' i. SEWER RATE STUDY will be agendized for the next commission meeting. Siting a new location for the Hawi transfer station is a community based effort. BUDGET PROCESS is moving forward. The Council has added a negative line item that will effect all departments and county services. E -WASTE STATUS: The County has no funds to subsidize a private contractor to collect E- waste. The department continues to try to engage the private sector and is in negotiations with T &N Computers of Oahu to come to the Big Island to collect and transport E -waste off island. The department is looking for a solution to used motor oil collection now that the State will not fund the program next fiscal year. Commission Member District Update Reports: Chair Enright communicated with Council Chair Yagong who offered his full support of our department budget. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None 7. NEW BUSINESS Presentation by Department of Water Supply (DWS) and discussion on Alternate Billing Systems for Water and Sewer Accounts — Taken out of order Milton Pavao, Department Head of DWS, offered the following information: - The current billing and financial system being used is Harris, a company out of Western Canada. - There are limitations with the Billing system relating to the distance and time difference such as bill insertions; automatic /internet billing capabilities and lock box issues. - DWS is negotiating with Oahu DWS that does Maui and Kauai billings to possibly do Hawaii County DWS billings also. Oahu requires monthly billing and currently DWS bills bi- monthly. A resolution to this issue is being worked through. - The financial feasibility of utilizing Oahu Water Supply for billings is being reviewed and the decision will be made by the Board of Water Supply. Possible issues with combining Sewer and Water billings: • If partial payments are made, which account would they be applied to? • Water service cannot be shut off because of non payment of sewer bill. Utilization of the Oahu billing system would be easier for combined billings. Presentation by Kohala Middle School students: We Can Change the World — Battery Recycling Project - State Representative Mark Nakashima presented Certificates of Appreciation to the project members from the State House of Representatives. Linda Peters, Hawaii County Recycling Coordinator, presented Certificates of Achievement from the Department. Following these award recognitions, the students who participated in the 6000 n 60 Household Battery Recycling Project and their sponsor presented a power point summary of their Siemens Foundation Grand Prize - winning project (attached to original minutes). - The students had the following suggestions for the County: • Place household battery collection bins at all transfer stations. • Require stores that sell batteries to take them back when the batteries are no longer working. • Mandate recycling of all batteries. - The presentation was closed by Hartwell Soledad, a student with the group, performing "We are the Children ". The audience and commissioners immensely enjoyed this beautiful offering. Update on the sewer connection waiver /exemption policy. Hunter Bishop, Deputy Director, provided the following: - An overview of the laws relating to sewer connection (Hawai' i County Code Chapter 21) - History of the Keaukaha Right-of-Entry 103 Agreement between the County and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (attached to original minutes) and sewer connection issues in this area. - An outline of the department's policy relating to sewer connection. Once finalized, it will utilized to administer decisions relating to sewer connection exemption and variance requests. - The commission is the body that hears appeals relating to director decisions regarding requests. - When the policy is finalized, it will be brought back to the commission for discussion and concurrence. E -waste Disposal Status — See Director's Report under Item 5. REPORTS /CORRESPONDENCE. Update on the feasibility study to expand the Hilo landfill - The current Update to the Integrated Resource and Solid Waste Management Plan (IRSWMP) provides for this study which will focus on managing leachate accumulated from the heavy rainfall in the area. - If it is not feasible to expand the Hilo landfill, other options may include (1) trucking to the West Hawai'i Sanitary Landfill or (2) a bio- reactor at the Hilo landfill. - Other preliminary studies have been conducted but more detailed information is required to make this decision. 8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Sewer Rate Study presentation Presentation on the Department's Collection Account Receivables Used Motor Oil Program Update Continued discussion on Sewer Connection Waiver/Exemption Policy 9. MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS July 27, 2011, Waimea, W.M. Keck Observatory, 65 -1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI September 28, 2011, March 23, 2011, Kona, Kona Liquor Control Conf Room, Bldg. B, 2 "d Floor, 74 -5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Kailua -Kona, HI November 23, 2011, Hilo, Liquor Control Conf. Room, 2nd Floor, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 230, Hilo, HI The chair recessed the meeting at 1 I :15 a.m. for travel to the Sort Station, The meeting reconvened at the site at 11:50 a.m. 10. TOUR OF THE SORT STATION Greg Goodale, Solid Waste Division Chief, described all areas of the building, the usage of each area and provided information on staffing and equipment required to operate the facility. The Sort Station can be operational in 30 days once permission is received to fill vacant positions and the positions are filled. The facility will operate 7 days a week. 11. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Bruce Lim moved to adjourn. Commissioner Okoji seconded and it passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 12 :10 p.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: r� SHARRON HENRY Environmental Management Secretary FORMAT NOTE: ACTION ITEMS ARE IN BOLD PRINT (MOTIONS AND ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR FUTURE MEETINGS).