2015-01-28 Environmental Management Commission Minutes

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MINUTES January 28, 2015 West Hawai'i Civic Center Liquor Control Conference Room, Kailua-Kona, HI COMMISSIONERS ALSO PRESENT: Thorn Randle, Chair PRESENT: Christine Dochin Jeffry Fear Clint Knox Anne Lee Margaret Wille, Council District 9 Trina Nahm-Mijo Sherm Warner STAFF: BJ Leithead Todd, Director Sharron Henry, Secretary Amy Self, Deputy Corporation Counsel 1. CALL TO ORDER& ANNOUNCEMENTS: Commission Chair Thom Randle called the meeting to order at 9:21 a.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 26,2014 MEETING: Director Leithead Todd made a correction to the minutes under 5. CORRESPONDENCE/ REPORTS/DISCUSSION: Wastewater Division noting that the cost of the Kealakehe WWTP Effluent R-1 Upgrade project was$54M,not$57M as reported. Commissioner Fear moved to approve the January 28,2015 minutes. Commissioner Anne Lee seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously with members present: Fear,Lee,Nahm-Mijo, Randle and Warner voting yes. 3. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA:None 4. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA: Margaret Wille,District 9 councilmember and Vice Chair of the Council Environmental Management Committee, distributed Resolution No. 525-14 (attached to original minutes). She supports composting and requested that a Zero Waste Plan be agendized for the commission's next meeting,to include educational options and needs. She also suggested that the commission/ department work with the Sustainable Bliss Organization as well as other community organizations relating to education opportunities. "Trash"presentation will be presented tonight, 1/28/15, at NELHA in Kona and Thursday, 1/29/15, in Hilo. On March 8-10, 2015 there will be an International Association of Zero Waste symposium at the Hapuna Beach Hotel. 5. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: • Director's Report(attached to original minutes): WRT RFP 3044 Cancellation - The RFP for a Waste Reduction Technology(WRT)has been cancelled. The Director clarified that the RFP was not for an incinerator but rather a WRT that produced an end product that was a renewable source of energy approved by the EPA. - Uncertainty about oil prices, instability in the ownership of HEI/HELCO and changes in the Public Utilities Commission were cited as some reasons for the cancellation. - The State Department of Transportation has already made a determination that a new landfill would not be approved within 6 miles of the airport. The department feels that building a landfill in Hilo is not technically or economically feasible and the end costs could be higher than operating a WRT facility. - Continuing the sliver fill operation on the north slope of the landfill could extend the life of the County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.