HomeMy WebLinkAboutLava Proclamation Mayor's 09-04-14William P. Kenoi
Mayor
Walter K.M. Lau
Managing Director
Randall M. Kurohara
Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawaii
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (8o8) 961-8211 • Fax (8o8) 961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg. C • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 9674o
(8o8)323-4444 • Fax(8o8)323-4440
WHEREAS, Act 111 of the 2014 Hawaii State Legislature, provides for the
establishment of County organizations for emergency management and disaster relief with the
Mayor having direct responsibility and authority over emergency management within the
County; and
WHEREAS, Act 111 of the 2014 Hawaii State Legislature and Chapter 7, Articles 1 and
2 of the Hawaii County Code, establishes a Civil Defense Agency within the County of Hawaii
and prescribes its powers, duties, and responsibilities, and Section 13-23 of the Hawaii County
Charter empowers the Mayor of the County to declare emergencies; and
WHEREAS, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) on September 4, 2014 has
raised its Volcano Alert Level from Watch to Warning and has reported that the June 27`h flow
from Kilauea's East Rift Zone is within 1.3 kilometers or .8 miles of the eastern boundary of the
Wao Kele O Puna Forest Reserve in the District of Puna, County and State of Hawaii, and if
unimpeded will cross Highway 130 at an unknown time; and
WHEREAS, in advance of the actual lava flow may be threats of wildfire and methane
explosions; and
WHEREAS, Highway 130 is the only major thoroughfare servicing lower Puna; and
WHEREAS, other access into and out of Lower Puna are unimproved and often 4 -wheel
drive only roads incapable of supporting standard travel; and
WHEREAS, due to the prior eruption events of 1983 to 2013, Highway 130 remains
inundated by lava and impassible between the Highway 137, a.k.a. the Kapoho-Kalapana Road
Beach Road ("Red Road")/Highway 130 junction and Chain of Craters road in the Volcanoes
National Park; and
WHEREAS, with the June 27`h flow to the north and the 1983-2013 eruption to the south,
residential communities, schools, government facilities, business and industry in the affected
area are under threat of disaster due to lava inundation and/or being land locked and isolated
from the rest of the County; and
WHEREAS, it is believed that 2010 Census of approximately 8,211 people residing in
the area directly under threat from this flow in the subdivisions of Hawaiian Beaches southward
to Kalapana is unrepresentative of the present population since it has been reported that the
District of Puna is the fastest growing population in the State; and
WHEREAS, due to the threat of disaster due to property damage and/or bodily injury to
residents of Hawaii Island, and the need for government agencies and representatives from the
private sector to mobilize and provide immediate services to our island residents, a state of
emergency is authorized pursuant to Act 111 of the 2014 Hawaii State Legislature, and Chapter
7 of the Hawaii County Code; and
WHEREAS, Sections 12 and 13, Act 111 of the 2014 Hawaii State Legislature
authorizes additional powers of the Mayor during a state of emergency including but not limited
to the authority to direct and control the conduct of civilians and movement and cessation of
movement of pedestrians and vehicular traffic and to direct and control the mandatory
evacuation of the civilian population as needed.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM P. KENOI, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, do
hereby proclaim and declare that a state of emergency exists due to threat of disaster on Hawaii
Island, District of Puna, effective September 4, 2014, and continuing thereon for 60 days or until
further act by this office.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the
County of Hawaii to be affixed. Done this 4th day of September 2014 in Hilo, Hawaii.
WIILIAM P. KENOI
Mayor
County of Hawaii