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HI County LEPC Meeting Minutes
Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency
May31, 2017 10:00am
Members Present: Gerald Kosaki, Lead Co-Chairperson; Henry Silva, Co-Chair; John Bowen,
Hazmat consultant; Michel Uchida, HFD Hazmat; Bill Hanson, Civil Defense; Cal Westergard,
Dept. of Ag.; Newton Inouye, community representative; John Peard, DOH HEER; Russell
Moore, DOT Harbors; Terri Napeahi, Keaukaha Action Network; Chris Leonard, New West
Broadcasting; Muriel Ahuna-Leong, PGV. Non-Members: Sharon Leonida, DOH-HEER
Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 10:02 am by Chair Gerald Kosaki.
II. Minutes
Approval of the March 9, 2017 meeting minutes. Minutes was approved as circulated. Chair
Kosaki to post minutes of the meeting on the county website.
III. NASTTPO Recap
Chair Kosaki attended. Conference was held in Florida from May 8-11, 2017. Chair gave a
summary of conference and he will post it on the website.
IV. County Reports
1. Civil Defense – Civil Defense - Working on learning the emergency response plans
(ERP) in the event of a tsunami for the Keaukaha area due to the type of industries
located there (fuel storage, etc.). Looking for guidance from LEPC committee.
Working with the Keaukaha Action Network committee which Terry Napeahi is the chair
of and she will be working on this with CD and John Peard to gather information.
Possible contacts, Coast Guard, EPA, DOT, etc.
Hurricane season is upon us. Who has responsibility for damage assessment? County
Housing, DPW, DOT-Harbors, etc. Does the LEPC have any role for damage
assessment? There is a potential for chemical leaks, CD purchased a program named
“Collector” and is capable of collecting certain types of information it is GIS and TMK
based. Future training will be offered by CD.
Bill Hanson stated that during the recent king tides, there were some concerns about the
bacteria levels. He will contact Neil Mukai from the Clean Water Branch of DOH.
2. Fire/Hazmat-No major incidents to report. Their Level A and Level B suits are 10 years
old and in need of replacement. Need approval on supplemental budget by County
Council. Certain equipment are also outdated and needs to be replaced with more current
models.
3. Police – No representative present
V. Industry Partners Report
1. PGV – Normal operations, nothing to report
2. BEI – No representative present
3. HEP – No representative present
4. Harbors – In November there will be another pier, dedicated to interisland cargo. Hoku
BioFuels are reworking the molasses lines
5. HELCO – No representative present
6. Media-Chris Leonard reported the State Emergency Plan regarding communication is
outdated, many areas are not addressed. Plans needs updating and he is pushing for a
state meeting to discuss this topic.
VI. Community Report
1. Terri Napeahi, Chair of the Keaukaha Action Network reported on their concerns of the
leaking county sewer line.
2. Discussion of a proposed Emergency Response Asset fund. Tier II companies will put
into a fund for emergency response, similar to the PGV fund. Councilman Sue Lee Loy
along with Ms. Napeahi is drafting this proposed bill and will be presenting it to the
County Council in July. Further discussion and committee support was asked, however,
the committee deferred until seeing the final draft.
VII. State of Hawaii
1. DOH HEER –
a. Lead was found on the Hakalau Bridge off highway 19 under the foundation. They
are currently doing delineation/removing and coming up with options.
b. Kolekole Beach Park – Found traces of lead that is higher than residential areas but
lower than commercial levels. The state levels are lower that Federal standards as an
acceptable level.
c. John will have a school report on arsenic and lead at the next meeting.
d. VOG subcommittee meeting – John identified a VOG dashboard that is a site for
information regarding VOG. He is working with the NWS on VOG conditions. UH
has a website – Vmap to see VOG forecasts.
2. Department of Ag. – Cal Westergard informed us about the upcoming pesticide exercises
that will take place state-wide.
VIII. New Business
1. EOP/ERP – Statewide the counties are reviewing their EOP and ERPs. No new
developments on status.
2. Tier II fee increase – the bill to raise the Tier II fee from $100.00 to $200.00 passed with
the Governor’s signature. The increase in fees is designed to help responders address
HAZMAT preparedness and response.
3. A motion was made by Henry Silva to send four personnel to the upcoming Continuing
Challenge to be held in Sacramento, CA with a ceiling amount of $10,000. John Bowen
seconded the motion. Chair Kosaki will work with Michel Uchida regarding the
language of the selection process. A selection committee was identified that consisted of
Chris Leonard, Henry Silva, and Terri Napeahi.
4. Henry Silva stated that at the next meeting, he will be stepping down from his position.
He asked for the committee members to consider filling his position.
X. Next meeting: Next meeting was scheduled for September 12, 2017 at CD.
XI. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 11:50am.