Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017

Lava flowing toward the emergency road along the Puna Coast is shown in this photo by the USGS, which explains in
its weekly Volcano Watch (see below) how scientists measure remotely the temperature of lava.

THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCORECARD ranked Hawai`i in the top 15 states and graded both of Hawai`i's Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard with ratings of 100 percent. The analysis released Thursday covers the 2016 work of members of Congress.
     The Environmental Scorecard is sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters and, since 1970, has been considered the yardstick for measuring responsibility to the environment among elected officials. The lifetime score for Hirono is 94 percent. For Schatz it is 95 percent. After learning of his score, Schatz tweeted: "Let's keep defending clean air and clean water in 2017 and beyond."
     Other Senators earning 100 percent for 2016 were Michael Bennet, of Colorado; Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both of Connecticut;  Bill Nelson, of Florida; and Dick Durbin, of Illinois.
  The lowest rating was 0 percent, and went to former Senator and new U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby, both of Alabama; Tom Cotton of Arkansas; David Perdue, of Georgia; Dan Coats of Indiana and Joni Earnst of Iowa.
      In the House of Representatives, Ka`u's member Tulsi Gabbard earned 100 percent, as did urban Hawai`i's Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.
     Gabbard stated, “In Hawaiʻi, we know that protecting our ʻāina and caring for our home is more than just a policy discussion, it’s a basic necessity and responsibility. I will continue working to advance Hawaiʻi’s renewable energy initiatives, protect our coral reefs, keep our water, air and oceans clean, fight against invasive species, and support sustainable growth throughout our state and country. We cannot afford to play politics with our environment—it’s too important for our economy, our security, our health, and the future of our planet.”
    The scorecard represents the consensus of experts from about 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who select the key votes on which members of Congress should be scored.
     According to the League of Conservation Voters, "Since 1970, the National Environmental Scorecard has been providing objective, factual information about the most important environmental legislation considered and the corresponding voting records of all members of Congress."
     Categories of legislation covered include: Air; Clean Energy; Climate Change; Dirty Energy; Drilling; Lands & Forests; Oceans; Toxics & the Public's Right to Know; Transportation; Water; and Wildlife. An "Other" category covers such issues as overhauling the regulatory process, sweeping funding cuts, the National Environmental Policy Act, federal appointments and nominations, campaign finance reform, trade, and eminent domain issues.

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RECYLE HAWAI`I HAS RELEASED A NEW OUTREACH GUIDE. Included is My Zero Waste Checklist & Tips that encourages everyone to buy in bulk or concentrate; purchase only what is needed; choose products with minimal packaging; and use both sides of paper, including two-sided copies. It encourages people to fight junk mail by removing name and address form mailing lists.
    It suggests getting into the habit of reusing containers by swapping disposables for refillable, bottles and reusable shopping bags, cloth napkins and personal take out containers. Give gently used items to families, friends, a shelter or garage sale. Take "still good stuff" to a recycling and reuse center.
      The guide also details recycling accepted at Hawai`i County Transfer Stations. See more at www.recylehawaii.org.

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REMOTELY MEASURING THE TEMPERATURE OF LAVA from Kilauea Volcano is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch by scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:     If something is hot enough, it emits light in wavelengths that are visible to the human eye. This is called incandescence. If you've ever seen the red-, orange-, or yellow-ish glow from Kīlauea Volcano's lava lake or an active lava flow, then you have observed incandescence.     

     Color is a rough indication of the temperature of hot materials, including lava. The human eye is remarkably sensitive to subtle color differences, and, with some practice, you can roughly estimate the temperature range of an object based on the color of its incandescent glow.
     For example, yellow indicates a temperature of about 1000–1200 degrees Celsius (1832–2192 degrees Fahrenheit). Orange indicates a slightly cooler temperature of about 800–1000 degrees Celsius (1472–1832 degrees Fahrenheit), while red is even cooler, about 600–800 degrees Celsius (1112–1472 degrees Fahrenheit).
     A remote sensing instrument that can determine the temperature of distant objects based on their incandescent color is called an optical pyrometer. "Remote sensing" refers to the use of imaging technology that acts as extensions of our eyes, allowing us to see the world in a new light and from different perspectives.
     One of the most important characteristics of active lava is its eruption temperature. This information can help determine the lava's composition and flow characteristics. It also provides important hints about the magma's plumbing system, source region, and supply rate, and how far the lava might travel.

 U.S. Geological Survey scientist used a custom-built,
high-speed camera to remotely measure the
temperature of spattering lava on the surface
of Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake
(background). This particular experiment,
conducted from the Jaggar Museum
overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National
Park on December 10, 2016, was part of
 a NASA-funded research project. USGS photo.

     The outer surface of erupting lava cools incredibly quickly when it is first exposed to air—hundreds of degrees per second. Hence, remotely measuring the eruption temperature is an attempt to record something that is visible for only a fraction of a second. Previous work on Kīlauea and other active volcanoes has demonstrated that existing methods of remotely determining lava flow temperatures can have hundreds of degrees of uncertainty.

       In early December 2016, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA visited Kīlauea Volcano to experiment with a portable, ground-based camera system for use as an optical imaging pyrometer. The custom-built, high-speed camera can acquire images at more than 50 frames per second in three wavelengths (green, red, and near-infrared). It was calibrated by collecting images of a high temperature calibration oven.

     During their field work, the USGS and NASA scientists collected thousands of images of active lava from Kīlauea's two ongoing eruptions. This included breakouts along the 61g lava flow, as well as spattering lava along the edges of the summit lava lake, which was visible from the Jaggar Museum overlook in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. 

     The eruption temperature of Kīlauea lava is well-known— up to about 1170 degrees Celsius (2140 degrees Fahrenheit) at the summit and around 1140 degrees Celsius (2084 degrees Fahrenheit) on the East Rift Zone. Because of this, the volcano is the perfect place to determine how these camera data can be used to retrieve reliable temperatures from the hottest parts of active flows and lava lakes.
     The results of this study will establish the validity of a generic data processing method that could be applied to other satellite, airborne, and ground-based remote sensing data sets. The ultimate goal of this NASA-funded research is to design an instrument capable of reliably measuring the temperature of active lava on Jupiter's moon, Io, the only other object in our solar system known to have active, high-temperature volcanism.
Kīlauea Volcano, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, is one of the best places in the world for scientists to conduct their remote sensing research, which is important for future NASA missions to the outer reaches of our solar system, concluded Volcano Watch.

Kīlauea spatter shows a red color, which is cooler than yellow and orange.
Scientists can remotely measure temperature of the lava from
a distance. USGS photo

VOLCANO ACTIVITY UPDATES:
     Kīlauea continues to erupt at its summit and East Rift Zone. This past week, the summit lava lake level varied between about 20 and 30 m (66–98 ft) below the vent rim. The 61g flow was still active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna and surface breakouts downslope of Pu'u 'Ō'ō and on the coastal plain about 730 m (about 0.5 mi) inland of the ocean. The 61g flows do not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.
     Mauna Loa is not erupting. During the past week, a few dozen small-magnitude earthquakes occurred beneath the volcano, primarily in the upper Southwest Rift at depths less than 5 km (3 mi), with a few on the volcano's west flank at slightly greater depths. GPS measurements continue to show deformation related to inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone. No significant change in the summit fumarole temperature was noted this past week. 

     Two earthquakes were reported felt on the Island of Hawaiʻi this past week. On February 17, at 5:33 a.m., HST, a magnitude-4.6 earthquake occurred 23.7 km (14.7 mi) northwest of Kawaihae at a depth of 41 km (25 mi), and, at 5:49 a.m., a magnitude-2.4 earthquake occurred 22.4 km (13.9 mi) northwest of Kawaihae at a depth of 40 km (24 mi).
     Visit the HVO website (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov) for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa weekly updates, volcano photos, recent earthquakes info, and more; call for summary updates at 808-967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 808-967-8866 (Mauna Loa); email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov

Ocean View Community Development Corp. meeting, Fri, Feb 24, 5 p.m., Hawaiian Ranchos office.

Japanese Internment on Hawai`i Island is the subject of the first Coffee Talk at Kahuku, Friday, Feb. 24 at 9:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Center at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Jade Moniz-Nakamua leads the talk on Japanese held at Kilauea Military Camp during World War II. Free.

Counting whales in Ka`u and beyond this Saturday can be
supported by purchasing tee shirts.
See www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov

Sanctuary Ocean Count, Sat, Feb 25, 8 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., various coastal locations, several in Ka`u. Participants count humpback whales and record their behaviors. Registration required. See hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or 725-5923.

Ka`u Hospital Community Input Meeting, Sat, Feb 25, 1:30 p.m. at the hospital. Kurt Corbin, Chair of the East Hawai`i Regional Board of the Hawai`i Hospital System Corp, which oversees the hospital and clinic operations, said that "Personal conversations and dialogue with our community stakeholders are absolutely essential in helping guide the decisions that the Regional Board must make." Board members and administrators will be on hand and a financial overview and future outlook will be presented. For more information, contact Terry Larson, Regional Board Secretary at 932-3103.

Love the Arts: Singin’ in the Rainforest, Sat, Feb 25, 5 – 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The annual fundraiser features one-of-a-kind umbrellas painted by Hawai‘i Island artists. Fine wine, a luxurious gourmet buffet, spirited Hawaiian music and live and silent auctions. 967-8222.

Soil and Composting class at Ka`u Farm School on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Earth Matters Farm on the corner of South Point Road and Kama`oa Roa`oa Road, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Special guests include Rep. Richard Creagan, Chair of the Agriculture Committee of the state House of Representatives and Melanie Willich, Director of the Young Farmers Program at Kohala Center. Free, sponsored by Kohala Center and Hawai`i Farmers Union United. Donations accepted. RSVP to kaufarmschool@gmail.com or call 808-721-6977

Palm Trail Hike, Sun, Feb 26, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop trail provides one of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer.

www.kaucalendar.com

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017

Ka`u High School students are invited to compete int he Kaha Ki`i Congressional Art Contest. The deadline is March 6. See story below.

STANDING ROCK PROTESTERS in North Dakota were mostly gone when authorities moved in Wednesday afternoon and arrested about ten of those who stayed behind. After a seven-month protest that gained the support of Ka`u's congresswoman Tuslsi Gabbard, who visited there in early December with military veterans, the occupation appeared to be over. Gabbard tweeted on Feb. 5, "The Dakota Access Pipeline threatens precious water resources and the balance of life. I #StandwithStandingRock."

     Thousands of people visited Standing Rock over the past year to support the Sioux Indian opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline being built to carry oil across federal land, near Sioux clean water sources. 

     As the remaining hundreds left, some of the Standing Rock supporters burned structures they had used for housing there since last summer. As the armed forces approached, about 150 supporters joined arms and marched out of the camp playing drums and singing. Authorities offered a bus ride to Bismarck, dry clothing, food, hotel rooms and free bus tickets to leave town. Some protesters moved onto private lands to set up new camps.

     Army Corps of Engineers spokespersons said that heavy snows would likely cause flooding and would have endangered those staying.    

     Dallas Goldrich, of the Indigenous Environmental Network, said that most of those protesters were "common people who have stood up in defense of the water and to protect sacred sites." He noted that the Standing Rock campers weathered three blizzards and were asking for more time to clean up the camp before leaving.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard joined the Sioux at Standing Rock last December.

     The pipeline issue remains active in congress and in federal court. Earthjustice, which has worked on water rights cases for native Hawaiians, filed a motion on Feb. 14 in federal court to set aside President  Donald "Trump's pipeline reversal." A statement from Earthjustice said the motion charges the Trump administration with circumventing law and ignoring treaty rights. The motion asks whether National Environmental Policy Act requirements have been met and whether the Army Corps of Engineers' actions violate the Sioux tribe's treaty rights. 

     The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, David Archambault II, said, “President Trump claims he has not received ‘a single phone call’ opposing this widely criticized project. Millions of people have raised their voices against this dangerous project.” He also said: “The drinking water of millions of Americans is now at risk. We are a sovereign nation and we will fight to protect our water and sacred places from the brazen private interests trying to push this pipeline through to benefit a few wealthy Americans with financial ties to the Trump administration.”
     On Feb. 8, the Trump Administration granted an easement allowing the pipeline to be constructed under the Missouri River, a half mile upstream of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. It reverses an earlier decision by the Army Corps of Engineers to withhold the easement while the agency completed an environmental review of alternate pipeline routes and the Tribe’s treaty rights. 

   "The environmental review, referred to as an environmental impact statement, has been wrongfully terminated mid-process," stated Earthjustice. "The lawsuit challenges the Corps’ hasty and unexplained departure from its previous decision, and explains how the Corps ignored the Tribe’s treaty rights and seeks to destroy culturally significant and sacred sites. It also explains how the Corps violated federal statutes requiring close environmental analysis of significant and controversial agency action."
      Jane Hasselman, Earthjustice attorney representing the tribe, said: “In this arbitrary and capricious reversal of course, the Trump Administration is circumventing the law: wholly disregarding the treaty rights of the Standing Rock Sioux and ignoring the legally required environmental review. It isn't the 1800s anymore—the U.S. government must keep its promises to the Standing Rock Sioux and reject rather than embrace dangerous projects that undercut Treaties.” The pipeline is expected to be completed in three months by Texas company Energy Transfer Partners.

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Megan Lamson of Hawai`i Wildlife Fund delivers
testimony supporting reduction of styrofoam food
containers. Image from Big Island Video News

REDUCTION OF STYROFOAM CONTAINERS in Hawai`i County received supportive testimony Tuesday from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, which has faced foam and plastics in the millions of pounds of trash it has cleaned up off the Ka`u Coast for many years. Megan Lamson, representing the Wildlife Fund, and also President of Ka Ohana O Honu`apo, testified in support of reducing polystyrene foam food containers because "science documents it endangers our health, environment and marine life." She also listed the "economic nearsightedness" of keeping styrofoam, and "strong community support coupled with common sense."   

      She said polystyrene has adverse health effects, does not biodegrade and "will last in our landfills indefinitely, despite their intended design to be used for less than an hour." 

     She contended that a "2 penny to 25 cent difference cost in a foam alternative product is just the bottom line for vendors. We really need to think about the end life of these products in our landfills, along our roads and eventually in our oceans. Foam food containers are costing taxpayers millions of dollars in cleanup costs."

     The Hawai`i state Department of Transportation produced a trash reduction plan in 2016 and "showed styrofoam was one of the top contributors in the waste stream along our highways. They even suggested a styrofoam ban ordinance," said Lamson. She also noted that many restaurants and Suisan Fish Market have made the switch from styrofoam.

     "We live on an island and should not be importing or creating things that we cannot dispose of properly," said Lamson.

     The Hawai`i County Council's Committee on Environmental Protection voted in favor of the bill which moves on to the full County Council. Ka`u's council member Maile David cast her vote of support, along with council members Karen Eoff, Eileen O`Hara, Valerie Poindexter and Jennifer Ruggles. If the five continue to support it, it will likely pass the full council. A related bill failed the council in 2016 before elections put new council members in office.

     The bill focuses on food vendors, prohibiting them from using polystryene containers to dispense prepared food, starting July 1, 2018 to give them time to use inventory. Exceptions in the ban would be made for emergencies approved by the Mayor. Not included would be reusable ice chests and coolers made of foam. See a film on the meeting at www.bigislandvideonews.com.

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2017 KAHA KI`I Congressional Art Competition is accepting submissions through Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. The contest is open to Hawaiʻi high school artists in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Ka`u. The winning artwork is displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol, along with winning artwork from all participating districts around the country. The deadline to submit an entry is March 6.      
     All entries most be two dimensional; no larger than 28 inches by 29 inches by 4 inches thick; weigh no more than 15 lbs; and be original in concept, design and execution, not violating U.S. copyright laws.     
     Winning artwork is also featured on the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Art Competition page. See http://bit.ly/2lCCWtt

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KA`U KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK, beating Pahoa 19 to 7 in Trojan girls softball on Wednesday. The pitching starter was Le Chun Galban Kin, followed by Sheri Freitas who took over in the second inning to finish the game. Analei Emmsely hit a triple with two runs batted in. Chaunalisa Velez hit a tripple with one run batted in and Mari Carlos hit a single.

Ocean View Community Development Corp. meeting, Fri, Feb 24, 5 p.m., Hawaiian Ranchos office.

Japanese Internment on Hawai`i Island is the subject of the first Coffee Talk at Kahuku, Friday, Feb. 24 at 9:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Center at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Jade Moniz-Nakamua leads the talk on Japanese held at Kilauea Military Camp during World War II. Free.

Sanctuary Ocean Count, Sat, Feb 25, 8 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., various coastal locations, several in Ka`u. Participants count humpback whales and record their behaviors. Registration required.  See hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or 725-5923.

Ka`u Hospital invites the public to a community input meeting this Saturday.
Photo by Julia Neal

Ka`u Hospital Community Input Meeting, Sat, Feb 25, 1:30 p.m. at the hospital. Kurt Corbin, Chair of the East Hawai`i Regional Board of the Hawai`i Hospital System Corp, which oversees the hospital and clinic operations, said that "Personal conversations and dialogue with our community stakeholders are absolutely essential in helping guide the decisions that the Regional Board must make." Board members and administrators will be on hand and a financial overview and future outlook will be presented. For more information, contact Terry Larson, Regional Board Secretary at 932-3103.

Love the Arts: Singin’ in the Rainforest, Sat, Feb 25, 5 – 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The annual fundraiser features one-of-a-kind umbrellas painted by Hawai‘i Island artists. Fine wine, a luxurious gourmet buffet, spirited Hawaiian music and live and silent auctions. 967-8222Soil and Composting class at Ka`u Farm School on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Earth Matters Farm on the corner of South Point Road and Kama`oa Roa`oa Road, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Special guests include Rep. Richard Creagan, Chair of the Agriculture Committee of the state House of Representatives and Melanie Willich, Director of the Young Farmers Program at Kohala Center. Free, sponsored by Kohala Center and Hawai`i Farmers Union United. Donations accepted. RSVP to kaufarmschool@gmail.com or call 808-721-6977

Palm Trail Hike, Sun, Feb 26, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop trail provides one of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer.

HOVE Road Maintenance board of directors meeting, Tue, Feb 28, 10 a.m., St. Jude’s Church. 929-9910

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue, Feb 28, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.