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| In a document published by the Public Utilities Commission Tuesday, Hawai`i County asks HELCO and HECO for more information about feedstocks `Aina Koa Pono plans to use to create biofuel at a refinery above Pahala. Photo from ainakoapono.com |
In multiple incidents, thousands of pounds of coffee were stolen from Ka`u Coffee Mill on Wood Valley Road – from the drying pad. Thousands of pounds of coffee were also stolen from Aikane Plantation Coffee Co. on the old cane haul road between Pahala and Na`alehu.
Farmers, including international coffee award winner Lorie Obra, said that coffee was stripped from the trees on her farm.
With the coffee berry borer heavily damaging Kona coffee orchards, thieves have been stealing from Ka`u to sell to Kona, not only causing grief and economic damage to Ka`u coffee farmers but also tainting the branding when Ka`u Coffee is sold as Kona.
Suggestions for dealing with the thieves have included increased security at all coffee farms and mills, dying the parchment with food dye to make it easy for buyers to recognize the origin, and heavier policing of wholesale and retail buying to prove coffee origins.
Anyone with tips on coffee thieving can call Crimestoppers at 329-8181 or 961-8300.
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| Howard Dicus of Hawai`i News Now |
TOURISM TO THE BIG ISLAND is soaring. According to Hawai`i News Now reporter Howard Dicus, the count is up 10.1 percent so far in February. Statewide, it has increased by more than 48,000 visitors, reaching a half million tourists in February.
Dicus reports that tourism to the Big Island increased 8.2 percent this month over the same period as last year. Japanese visitors statewide increased 15.7 percent over the same period as last year.
Earlier this month, Hawai`i Tourism Authority predicted that the total airline seat capacity in Hawai`i is expected to increase 6.8 percent in 2013 over last year. Double-digit growth is expected out of the U.S. East, Japan, Other Asia (South Korea, China and Taiwan) and Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) regions.
Contributing to the growth will be additional new routes from the U.S. and Asia-Pacific regions to the Hawaiian Islands from Boise, Spokane, San Diego, Taiwan, New Zealand and Tokyo-Narita commencing in the first half of the year.
“The success of our visitor industry has a direct correlation with the increased airlift, and we are committed to ensuring that we maintain a strong inventory of air seats to support our industry and our state’s economy,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of HTA. “Hawai`i lost 1.5 million air seats within two years following the closure of Aloha and ATA airlines and the economic downturn. Through our efforts and collaboration with our industry partners, it has taken us more than three years to gain back more than two million air seats to our state,” said McCartney.
CONCERNING THE `AINA KOA PONO proposal, the Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday published responses to more questions asked by the state Consumer Advocate, Hawai`i County and Life of the Land. The questions concern the proposed contract for `Aina Koa Pono to annually sell, at a fixed price for 20 years, 16 million gallons of diesel that would be manufactured at a refinery off Wood Valley Road above Pahala. The fuel, produced in 27 microwave units, would be sold to Hawai`i Electric Light and Hawaiian Electric Companies, with most of it trucked up Hwy 11 to a power plant in Kona. Electric rates on O`ahu and the Big Island would increase.
Dicus reports that tourism to the Big Island increased 8.2 percent this month over the same period as last year. Japanese visitors statewide increased 15.7 percent over the same period as last year.
Earlier this month, Hawai`i Tourism Authority predicted that the total airline seat capacity in Hawai`i is expected to increase 6.8 percent in 2013 over last year. Double-digit growth is expected out of the U.S. East, Japan, Other Asia (South Korea, China and Taiwan) and Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) regions.
Contributing to the growth will be additional new routes from the U.S. and Asia-Pacific regions to the Hawaiian Islands from Boise, Spokane, San Diego, Taiwan, New Zealand and Tokyo-Narita commencing in the first half of the year.
“The success of our visitor industry has a direct correlation with the increased airlift, and we are committed to ensuring that we maintain a strong inventory of air seats to support our industry and our state’s economy,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of HTA. “Hawai`i lost 1.5 million air seats within two years following the closure of Aloha and ATA airlines and the economic downturn. Through our efforts and collaboration with our industry partners, it has taken us more than three years to gain back more than two million air seats to our state,” said McCartney.
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| Sen. Brian Schatz |
HAWAI`I’S U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION is back home during a recess, meeting with constituents and talking about the pending sequestration, which would cut $85 billion in federal spending across the board nationwide, if a compromise is not reached by March 1.
According to Sen. Brian Schatz, who said he would prefer that Congress kept working on the problem rather than take its current recess, sequestration could mean that 80 percent of all Department of Defense employees in the country could be furloughed starting in April, having a devastating impact on the Hawai`i economy.
Said Shatz, sequestration “was designed not to happen…. It was supposed to be so awful for Republicans and Democrats and for the people of America that we would be forced to compromise, and that is what we’ve got to do…. It is avoidable, and it is unacceptable.” The new senator said, “We only have a little bit of time.” He called for a balanced approach with deficit reduction of $2 trillion through cutting some Department of Defense funding and domestic spending and through increased revenues through closing tax loopholes.
“If we don’t do it, there will be severe consequences for real people,” said Schatz.
Said Shatz, sequestration “was designed not to happen…. It was supposed to be so awful for Republicans and Democrats and for the people of America that we would be forced to compromise, and that is what we’ve got to do…. It is avoidable, and it is unacceptable.” The new senator said, “We only have a little bit of time.” He called for a balanced approach with deficit reduction of $2 trillion through cutting some Department of Defense funding and domestic spending and through increased revenues through closing tax loopholes.
“If we don’t do it, there will be severe consequences for real people,” said Schatz.
CONCERNING THE `AINA KOA PONO proposal, the Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday published responses to more questions asked by the state Consumer Advocate, Hawai`i County and Life of the Land. The questions concern the proposed contract for `Aina Koa Pono to annually sell, at a fixed price for 20 years, 16 million gallons of diesel that would be manufactured at a refinery off Wood Valley Road above Pahala. The fuel, produced in 27 microwave units, would be sold to Hawai`i Electric Light and Hawaiian Electric Companies, with most of it trucked up Hwy 11 to a power plant in Kona. Electric rates on O`ahu and the Big Island would increase.
Hawai`i County asked about feedstocks that would be grown to create biofuel. “Please identify the specific feedstock(s) that AKP proposes to grow on the Island of Hawai`i. Assuming it is a grass, has this grass previously been cultivated as a commercial crop on the island? If not, have trial plots been grown at all? If so, then please describe the size, location, soil characteristics, altitude, ground slope, and actual rainfall at these plots. If there is no prior commercial experience with this grass, please describe the program to introduce this grass and to determine its optimal agronomics—including anticipated amounts of fertilizer, potential disease and insect pressure and how this will be managed, response to differing soils/altitudes/slopes/rainfall amounts. (Note that multi-year projects have been undertaken on the mainland to subsidize farmers as they gain experience with a new crop— switchgrass —including a recently complete four year project... which, by the way, has left farmers at a loss whether to continue growing switchgrass). Has the AKP/MicroDee process been tested on that particular biomass/feedstock (as different kinds of biomass can give very different results)?
HELCO and HECO replied that, “According to AKP, specific feedstocks proposed by AKP consist of varieties currently under testing within the varietal selections found at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, Hawai`i Agricultural Research Center, University of Hawai`i and from among local Hawai`i grasses. One specific grass variety that is a lead contender as an AKP feedstock was distributed over twelve years ago by UH throughout the Hawaiian Islands as an agricultural wind block for commercial farmers. This particular grass has proven itself to be robust, vigorous, and healthy without added fertilizers or much attention. Other varieties have been put into commercial production trial plots; for example, several are currently under observation at Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company. Trial plots continue to be propagated, monitored, and new trials are currently under design. Although one of the energy grasses AKP is considering has only been used in Hawai`i as an agricultural windbreak, the same grass variety is in commercial use in other regions of the world.
“The specific grasses under consideration will be tested once the 33-ton-per-day unit is operational. However, several other wood species have been tested in the MicroDee process with satisfactory results.
“The technical science of the MicroDee process is blind to the species and types of biomass. The specific volatiles content of each specific feedstock determines the potential for synthetic oil extraction. Knowing the volatile capacity of each feedstock allows an ability to understand the feedstock’s yield.”
Ka`u News Briefs will cover more responses in the coming days.
Complete responses to all questions are online at puc.hawaii.gov. Docket number is 2012-0185.
“The technical science of the MicroDee process is blind to the species and types of biomass. The specific volatiles content of each specific feedstock determines the potential for synthetic oil extraction. Knowing the volatile capacity of each feedstock allows an ability to understand the feedstock’s yield.”
Ka`u News Briefs will cover more responses in the coming days.
Complete responses to all questions are online at puc.hawaii.gov. Docket number is 2012-0185.
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| Sen. Russell Ruderman |
KA`U AG WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets today at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards’ field office in Pahala. For more information, call Jeff McCall at 928-6456.
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER raising funds for Ka`u Hospital’s emergency room takes place Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The event is sponsored every February by Red Hat Ladies of Ka`u and Ka Lae Quilters. Contributions are welcome. For more information, call Barbara Beatty at 929-9072.
SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN holds a talk story at Pahala Plantation House Tuesday, Feb. 26 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Ruderman meets with constituents to discuss issues before the state Legislature. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 974-4000, ext. 66890.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER raising funds for Ka`u Hospital’s emergency room takes place Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The event is sponsored every February by Red Hat Ladies of Ka`u and Ka Lae Quilters. Contributions are welcome. For more information, call Barbara Beatty at 929-9072.
SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN holds a talk story at Pahala Plantation House Tuesday, Feb. 26 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Ruderman meets with constituents to discuss issues before the state Legislature. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 974-4000, ext. 66890.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.