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Home My WebLink About2016-08-24 Environmental Management Commission Minutes ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MINUTES August 24, 2016 Hawaii County Building, Puna Conf. Room, 25 Aupuni St. #1501, Hilo, HI COMMISSIONERS ALSO PRESENT: James Fritz, Chair PRESENT: Nancy Cook-Lauer Richard Bennett, Vice Chair Jerome Warren Jeffry Fear Councilmember Margaret Wille Trina Nahm-Mijo Luana Neff STAFF: BJ Leithead Todd, Director Susan Osborne Sharron Henry, Secretary 1. CALL TO ORDER & ANNOUNCEMENTS: Commission Chair James Fritz called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MAY 25,2016 MEETING: Commissioner Susan Osborne moved to approve the May 25, 2016 minutes as written. Commissioner Richard Bennett seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously with members present: Fritz, Bennett, Fear, Nahm-Mijo, Neff and Osborne voting yes. 3. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA: None 4. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA: Jerome Warren offered the following thoughts regarding the use of treated wastewater: - Treated wastewater should he used for irrigating parks and public lands; - Residents wanting treated wastewater for irrigation purposes on private lands should be charged a fee. Councilmember Margaret Wille shared the following information: - Her disappointment with the continued-unfilled commission seats in Districts 2. 4 and 7. - Resolution 565-16 (attached to original minutes) was amended to include the contents of Resolution 570-16 (attached to original minutes) which was withdrawn at the 8/16/16 meeting of the Council Environmental Management Committee. - Resolution 565-16 was also amended to include Ms. Wille as a member of the Hawaii Island Packaging Sustainability Initiative (HIPSI) Stakeholders Task Force. - Her encouragement to the commission for their involvement and meaningful participation in strategic planning for the county's solid waste management. - She is not in favor of trucking garbage from East Hawaii to West Hawaii upon the closure of the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill (SIISL). - She requested the following items be placed on the next commission agenda: o Discussion of Resolution 565-16 which establishes a HIPSI task force; c Discussion and brainstorming on the county solid waste program, to include an overview of the program and the closure of the liilo landfill. o Discussion and review of the county's December 2009 Integrated Resource and Solid Waste Management Plan. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opporlunny Provider and Employer. 5. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: • Director's Report(attached to original minutes): LEGISLATION - Director's preference would be to extend HIPSI task force beyond the sunset date of December 2, 2016. - Task force recommendations should be submitted to the State Legislature so state laws could be amended to include the recommendations. WASTEWATER DIVISION - Kealakehe WWTP: o The Director provided the R-1 history and background of the Aeration Upgrade/Sludge Removal and Effluent R-1 Upgrade projects. o Aeration Upgrade and Sludge Removal Project: • Purpose of the project is to replace the existing aeration blowers with units that will save on electrical energy costs—an estimated savings of$370,000/year. • The construction work will occur in phases without interruption to the wastewater treatment process. • The project is funded by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in the amount of$23M. • The county and Kohanaiki developers are meeting in September to discuss the pipe installation and moving up the R-1 project timeline. o Effluent R-1 Upgrade: • Brown and Caldwell has been contracted to initiate the preliminary planning and design for the R-1 upgrade and nutrient removal. • The first phase of the planning will include Community Outreach as well as preparation of an EIS. • The two processes used for nutrient removal are (1) subsurface wetlands and (2) Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT). • Until R-1 water is available after the upgrade of the WWTP, the plan is to provide R-2 water to County P&R, Queen Lili'uokalani Trust for the Maka'eo project (Old Kona Airport and QLT project. - Sewer Rate Study: o Charging for sewer usage is a user fee driven system. o When the rate study is finalized, a possible rate increase will be discussed. - NA'alehu LCC Replacement: o Property owners are suggesting potential alternate sites for the wastewater facility. o All technology options are being reviewed for the facility. SOLID WASTE DIVISION o Due to the limited amount of space left at the SHSL, a Notice of Authorization (NOA) is now required for residents and businesses disposing of construction and demolition materials. This NOA identifies where the materials can be disposed. Larger amounts of materials are now required to be disposed of at the WHSL. o Transfer Stations: o Kea'au, Pahoa and Waiea have all been upgraded in recent years. o SWD has plans to expand the current Kealakehe reuse site, along with upgrading some of the other reuse sites. o Currently reviewing the options of moving the Miloli'i and Papa`ikou stations to new sites. o Long range plan for Miloli`i is to purchase property and expand the services provided. o Upgrades to transfer stations reduces green waste and rubbish disposal at the landfills. o The approximate life of the SHSL is 36 months. County of Hamar is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer The Director has requested the Solid Waste and Wastewater Division Chiefs to provide a transition report for the next administration, to include their"wish lists". Chair Fritz recessed the meeting at 10:50 a.m. for a short break. The meeting reconvened at 11:00 a.m. • Commission Member District Update Reports—includes information obtained from meetings with council members and district residents since the last commission meeting—Suspended due to time constraint. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS -None 7. NEW BUSINESS Presentation by Commissioner Richard Bennett on the basics of wastewater irrigation and its application to Hawai`i - The presentation (attached to original minutes) laid out the specifics of using wastewater as a beneficial resource. - The three types of recycled wastewater were identified as: o R1: Highest quality of recycled water; treated effluent that has undergone filtration and disinfection and can be utilized for spray irrigation without restrictions; o R2: Disinfected secondary (biologically)treated effluent. Its uses are subjected to more restrictions and controls. o R3: The lowest quality of recycled water—it is undisinfected secondary treated effluent whose uses are severely limited. - Processes, treatments and uses of wastewater in Hawai`i County were identified and addressed. Discussion of policy options to improve the integration of fresh water use and reclaimed water reuse—both residential and wastewater from treatment plants - Postponed to next meeting Discussion of the County Abandoned Vehicle Procedures - Postponed to next meeting 8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS - Discussion of Resolution 565-16 which establishes a the HIPSI task force - Discussion and brainstorming on the county solid waste program, to include an overview of the program and the closure of the Hilo landfill and long range plans for the County Transfer Stations - Discussion and review of the county's December 2009 Integrated Resource and Solid Waste Management Plan(IRSWMP) - Presentation by Commissioner Richard Bennett on septic tanks - Recycling Presentation—January, 2017 9. MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS September 28 Kona Comm. Hale October 26 Hilo Puna Conf Room November 23 Kona Comm. Hale December No meeting NOTE: Dates are selected per the Commission Rules. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Fmployer. 10. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Nahm-Mijo made a motion to adjourn. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Osborne and it passed unanimously with members present: Fritz, Bennett, Fear, Nahm-Mijo, Neff and Osborne voting yes. Meeting adjourned at 11:55 a.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitt- a by: litrikataar SHARRON HENRY Environmental Management S- retary FORMAT NOTE: ACTION ITEMS ARE IN BOLD PRINT (MOTIONS AND ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR FUTURE MEETINGS). County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.