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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-10-26 Environmental Management Commission Minutes ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MINUTES October 26, 2016 Hawaii County Building, Puna Conference Room, 25 Aupuni Street, #1501, Hilo, HI COMMISSIONERS ALSO PRESENT: James Fritz, Chair PRESENT: Nancy Cook Lauer Richard Bennett, Vice Chair Christine Dochin Jeffry Fear Priscilla Lee Trina Nahm-Mijo Rick Vidgen Susan Osborne Jerome Warren Councilmember Margaret Wille EXCUSED: Luana Neff STAFF: BJ Leithead Todd, Director Belinda Hall, Corp Counsel Sharron Henry, Secretary 1. CALL TO ORDER& ANNOUNCEMENTS: Commission Chair James Fritz welcomed the participants and called the meeting to order at 9:59 a.m. He introduced Rick Vidgen whose nomination is at Council for approval for District 9 commissioner. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 MEETING: Commissioner Trina Nahm-Mijo moved to approve the September 28,2016 minutes as written. Commissioner Jeffry Fear seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously with members present: Fritz, Bennett, Fear, Nahm-Mijo 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 testimony on the following: - Reclaimed wastewater use: Our primary goal is not to pollute our ground water with our wastewater. Vegetation and short rooted, small topped trees are the best filters. Monkey pod trees found in the Na`alehu area filter the water and wastewater is not polluting the ground water. The current Nalalehu wastewater facility site could be upgraded with the plans that were drawn up by SSFM in 2004 that the residents approved. He has confirmed this with DOH and the EPA that these plans will be okay. "The tail starts wagging the dog when people's plans for the reclaimed water becomes more important than clean ground water itself'. - Non-Payment Notices: There's no mention of water shut-off in the sewer bill non-payment notice. The notices only mention a lien on the property. Administration has still not come up with a standard operating procedure (SOP)to implement the action. Water shut off water is a draconian measure and the delay in coming up with an SOP is also inhumane. People should not be kept in anticipation of something that may never occur. Hopefully the new administration and council will repeal the water shut-off legislation. "We've been in limbo too long by this idle threat". 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer 6. NEW BUSINESS Discussion of policy options to improve the integration of fresh water use and reclaimed water reuse—both residential and wastewater from treatment plants - Commissioner Bennett provided background for these options. - Some jurisdictions such as Austin, Texas; San Diego, California; and Honolulu. Hawaii have made reuse mandatory. - Hawaii County doesn't have policies and programs that encourage or require reuse. - Possible policies that could be put into place are sited in the Policy Options handout(attached to the original minutes). - The County of Hawaii has not developed a water reuse program and does not provide recycled water to any facilities. It is not doing well with water recycling as noted in Figure 3-2 of the handout. - The Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant is being upgraded to produce RI water. - A private treaty will be required to facilitate water reuse on properties not under county control. - Grey water from home sinks, showers, laundry, for example, is suitable for home reuse, constituting the major share of all household wastewater. o Grey water reuse in the home are is not illegal. o Many homeowners and construction professionals do not know the State Uniform Plumbing Code and are not familiar with grey water design and construction. o DOH officials and some consultants discourage the use of grey water. o Regulations are confusing and burdensome. o Incentives such as reduction in sewer/disposal costs or fresh water"conservation" rates would encourage grey water reuse. - The County should consider options that include providing general promotion of the concept of water reuse. Discussion of the County Abandoned Vehicle Procedures (attached to original minutes) - The procedures were discussed and the Director provided information on the county's process of receiving and handling the vehicles. - The county does not remove vehicles from private property. Residents should contact a scrap metal dealer if they have personal vehicles to be disposed. Currently Big Island Scrap Metal is the only dealer on the island that has the necessary DOH permits to take scrap metal. - Commissioner Bennett made a motion that the commission send a letter to Council recommending(1) the current$12 portion of the vehicle registration fee that goes to the Vehicle Disposal fund be increased; (2) provide options for holding the registered owner of the abandoned vehicle responsible for the costs associated with removal of the vehicle and (3) recommending to the State Legislature that the pick-up period for abandoned vehicles be shortened. Commissioner Fear seconded the motion and it passed unanimously with those present, Commissioners Fritz, Bennett, Fear, Nahm-Mijo and Osborne voting yes. Commissioner Bennett will draft the letter for discussion at next meeting. - Councilmember Wille suggested that Commissioners meet with the Motor Vehicle Division staff to discuss the abandoned vehicle fees associated with vehicle registration and send a letter to Finance Department regarding increasing these fees. Discussion and brainstorming on the county solid waste program, to include an overview of the program and the closure of the Hilo landfill and Discussion and review of the county's December 2009 Integrated Resource and Solid Waste Management Plan (IRSWMP) (These two items were discussed simultaneously.) - Councilmember Wille offered the following: o The county has a good Zero Waste Plan and the new composting facility will be a big start in continuing our efforts. o If you do nothing relating to closure of the SHSL recommendations in the IRS WMP, you're doing something. The default"do nothing option" is that everything will go to Pu'uanahulu. o 40%to 60%of the trash is green waste and compostables. County of l lawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer o Our composting contract of 10 years could be affected by competition for green waste and compostables from companies doing other forms of solid waste diversion programs. o Legislation specific to non-use of styrofoam at county facilities is being introduced at council. This legislation also includes an education component. - All future procurements will include an education component to be provided by the contractor. - Advanced Disposal Fees were discussed as incentives to be considered by the department to be offered to residents on recycling efforts. - The State has reduced funding for recycling services. - The department will provide transition reports to the new administration to include current status of projects, budget and wish lists. - The commission discussed providing a letter to the new mayor requesting consideration for reinstatement/increase of the education funds removed from the budget. - Commissioner Osborne made a motion to provide a letter to the new mayor urging reinstatement/increase of the education funds that were removed from the Solid Waste budget. Commissioner Nahm-Mijo seconded and the motion passed unanimously with those present, Commissioners Fritz, Bennett, Fear,Nahm-Mijo and Osborne voting yes. Commissioner Bennett made a friendly amendment to include in the letter a request that R&D to look at opportunities for synergy with other entities that are currently active in this island. After further discussion identifying this as a different issue, Commissioner Bennett withdrew his amendment. The Director agreed to draft a letter for the commissioner's review/approval at the next meeting. Review and Discussion of draft letter to the State Legislators regarding monitoring, detecting and enforcing repairs to laterals on private property that impacts the integrity of the sewer system; and a solution-based offering of extending the DOH tax credit to assist more people living near shoreline to convert from cesspools to other types of wastewater disposal. (attached to original minutes). - Commissioner Osborne made a motion to approve the letter with the following changes: - Correct spelling of Representative San Buenaventura's name - Change second sentence to read "The County regularly inspects its own lies within the public right-of-way for any cracked or broken pipes and then repairs those pipes. - Change second sentence on page 2 to add the word "setback" between "shoreline" and "requirement" and add "conversion" of cesspools to septic or connection.... - In the same paragraph, add the word "objective" between "upon" and "risk to near shore waters." Commissioner Fear seconded the motion and it passed unanimously with those present, Commissioners Fritz, Bennett, Fear,Nahm-Mijo and Osborne voting yes. 7. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: - Director's Report(attached to original minutes): - The Director added that the Hilo site improvements procurement has been initiated and completion of construction of the Hilo Reuse Center is anticipated in early 2017. - The Solid Waste Division is accepting tires through November 30, 2016 at the seven transfer stations that are 7 day/week operations. - Commission Member District Update Reports: District 5: Commissioner Osborne reminded the commission of the Pahoa District Park Grand Opening on Saturday, October 29, 2016. District 8: Commissioner Fear asked about trucks hauling green waste to Kealakehe. - The Director noted that trucks carry the green waste dumped by residents at Kealakehe TS to West Hawai`i Organics Facility(WHOF) to be mulched. Mulch is then transported back to Kealakehe for free residential pick-up when there is an abundance at the WHOF. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer - The Director also indicated that the county is required to do remediation of the closed Kealakehe scrap metal yard and upon completion, the department will decide how best this area can be used by the Solid Waste Division. SRF funding will be used for the remediation. - District 9: Chair Fritz asked why the green waste disposal has been temporarily suspended at Puako Transfer Station. - The Director responded it is currently due to lack of manpower and equipment. Puako residents can take their green waste to Kealakehe green waste area or the WHOF. - District 6: Commissioner Bennett indicated that the Waiea Transfer Station is very small and crowded. The Director stated that the county is looking for larger sites for both Waiea and Miloli`i that will accommodate additional services and provide more access. - He suggested that the driver park the county truck outside on the road instead of inside the gate allow more room for residents. - He discussed the seawater on Ali'i Drive and provided information of the percentage of chloride in the water. 8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS - Draft letter to the incoming Mayor relating to inclusion of education funding in Solid Waste Fund - Draft letter to Council recommending(1) the current $12 portion of the vehicle registration fee that goes to the Vehicle Disposal fund be increased; (2)provide options for holding the registered owner of the abandoned vehicle responsible for the costs associated with removal of the vehicle and (3)recommending to the State Legislature that the pick-up period for abandoned vehicles be shortened - Discussion on Commission member openings and filling those positions - Discussion of a Wetlands System vs. a Mechanical Wastewater treatment facility - Presentation by Commissioner Richard Bennett on septic tanks - Recycling Presentation—January, 2017 9. MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Osborne will not be able to attend the November 23rd. meeting. When polled, Commissioners Fritz, Fear, Bennett,Nahm-Mijo and new commissioner for District 7, Rick Vidgen, indicated they would be attending the November meeting. The secretary will contact Commissioner Neff for her availability. December No meeting NOTE: Dates are selected per the Commission Rules. 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, Nahm-Mijo,Neff and Osborne voting yes. Meeting adjourned at 11:55 a.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: SHARRON HENRY Environmental Management Secretary 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.