Friday, January 10, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, January 10, 2020

Community work days at Nā Mamo o Kāwā help restore and maintain the preserved area. Tomorrow's event is 
cancelled due to recent weather, but the workdays occur monthly. See story below. Photo from Nā Mamo o Kāwā
PROPOSED DEREGULATION OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ACT by the Trump Administration drew a response from Sen. Mazie Hirono yesterday: "One of the few things that the American people can count on from the reckless Trump administration is prioritizing corporations above all else. Today's weakening of #NEPA is yet another handout to special interests at the expense of our environment, public health, and communities."
     Under the proposed rule, "cumulative impacts," including affects to the climate, wouldn't need to be taken into account for projects of federal agencies.
     Reuter's reported the new rule would "speed permitting for major infrastructure projects like oil pipelines, road expansions, and bridges," and is "one of the biggest deregulatory actions of the president's tenure." The plan was revealed by the White House Council on Environmental Quality, which coordinates federal environmental efforts on the development of environmental and energy policies and initiatives. The plan "would help the administration advance big energy and infrastructure projects like the Keystone XL oil pipeline or roads, bridges, and federal buildings that President Donald Trump and industry groups complained have been hampered by red tape," reported Reuter's.
     During a press conference yesterday, Trump said, "For the first time in over 40 years today we are issuing a new rule under the National Environmental Policy Act to completely overhaul the dysfunctional bureaucratic system that has created these massive obstructions."
     The public will have 60 days to comment on the new rule one it is officially submitted.

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SAFE DRINKING WATER is at the heart of the PFAS Action Act, supported by Tulsi Gabbard’s vote today in the U.S. House of Representatives. The act would bar manufacture of "Forever Chemical" polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are found in non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain resistant fabrics and carpets, some cosmetics, some firefighting foams, and products that resist grease, water, and oil. The act would also direct the Environmental Protection Agency to establish drinking water standards, and authorize $100 million for this and for a grant program to support treatment efforts.
     Many PFAS-related provisions that were stripped from the final version of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act are included in the new bill.
     Gabbard said, "Every American in every community across our country deserves clean water. That is why I voted for and strongly support the passage of the PFAS Action Act today. PFAS contamination sites blanket the map, affecting almost every state and PFAS chemicals have been implicated in cancer and other illnesses. The harmful effects are felt in our veteran and military family community – many of whom were exposed to the chemicals that were used at military installations.
     "Unfortunately, the spread of PFAS contamination is moving faster than the EPA's efforts to regulate, prevent, detect, and treat contaminated water supplies. Failing to act is a failure to the American people and will only cost us immeasurably more to deal with the environmental and health fallout in the future."
     Gabbard has introduced two bills, the Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Impact Study Act of 2019 and the Reef Safe Act of 2019, to study and protect public health and the environment from potentially harmful chemicals in sunscreen. She has also joined with 41 of her colleagues to introduce the Ban Toxic Pesticides Act of 2019, which would re-ban the use and stockpile of pesticide chlorpyrifos.

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HAWAIʻI’S INTERAGENCY BIOSECURITY PLAN to control invasive species has reached 57 percent of its mission, according to Gov.David Ige. He said that 57 percent of the plan's goal have been initiated, are ongoing in perpetuity, or have been completed in three years. "These actions have resulted in a more robust agriculture industry, the protection of our natural resources, our economy, and our unique way of life here in Hawai‘i."
     Ige said Hawai‘i is "at an invasive species crossroads: the islands are home to more endangered species than any other state." He gave thanks and kudos to Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Hawaii DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources), Hawaii State Department of Health, University of Hawai‘i News, Hawaii Department of Transportation and the @HawaiiInvasiveSpeciesCouncil "for your hard work to getting us to this halfway point."
     To learn more and to view the full plan, visit dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/plans/hibp/.

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NĀ MAMO O KĀWĀ COMMUNITY ACCESS DAY IS CANCELLED for tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 11, due to recent weather. Call 557-1433 or see nmok.org or facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii for the next workday.

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WHAT ON EARTH IS A GEODESIST? is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory's research geophysicist/geodesist Ingrid Johanson:
     People and jobs at HVO, Part 1: What on earth is a geodesist?
     USGS HVO is responsible for monitoring active volcanoes in Hawaiʻi, which involves assessing hazards and communicating with interagency partners and the public. Our mission also includes advancing our knowledge of volcanic processes through scientific research.
     It takes many people in diverse roles to accomplish these goals. During January's Volcano Awareness Month, our Volcano Watch articles will introduce readers to some of the people and jobs at HVO.
     One role at HVO is that of "geodesist," which is someone who studies the sub-field of geophysics called "geodesy." I usually avoid calling myself a geodesist when meeting new people because it often results in puzzled looks. Instead, I use HVO's terminology for our team, and say that I'm part of "the deformation group."
     This informal team name gets at the heart of what we do: we study how the surface of a volcano deforms as a way to determine what is happening underground.
     Geodesy is primarily concerned with precise measurements of the earth, such as might happen during a geodetic survey. Results from surveys after the 1906 magnitude-7.9 San Francisco earthquake, which offset fence lines and property boundaries, had a profound impact on our understanding of how faults move—and ultimately brought geodesists into the earth sciences.
Geophysicist Sarah Conway, a member of the USGS 
HVO deformation team, readies a temporary GPS 
station during a campaign survey of benchmarks 
on Kīlauea Volcano to monitor changes in the 
ground surface. USGS photo by I. Johanson
     A geodesist's tools are similar to those of a surveyor. In the past century, triangulation and leveling were popular techniques. Today, Global Positioning System (GPS) instruments form the backbone of our monitoring program, which also includes borehole tiltmeters and satellite radar (InSAR).
     The general approach to using geodetic data on a volcano is to perform multiple surveys to determine how benchmark positions have changed. As magma moves into a volcano, the surrounding rock is pushed outward. When we measure positions of benchmarks on the surface of the volcano, we find that they have also been pushed away from the magma source. Today, permanently installed instruments constantly monitor benchmark positions so we can see ground motion within minutes.
     Growing and maintaining HVO's permanent geodetic instrument network is one of the deformation group's most important jobs. This permanent network consists of over 60 GPS stations and 16 tiltmeters, and data from it are critical for hazard assessment. In particular, tiltmeters, which are incredibly sensitive to changes in ground slope, are often the first indicator of inflation as a volcano pressurizes.
     While HVO's deformation group is responsible for analyzing and interpreting the data, it takes many others to keep the network running. HVO's field engineers build, install, and maintain our field instruments. IT staff ensure that our computers can communicate with remote sites from which data are transmitted and that we are equipped to analyze the data.
     We supplement the permanent geodetic network with annual campaigns to collect additional benchmark data using temporary GPS stations. Around 80 benchmarks are surveyed each year for 2-3 days to determine yearly changes in position. These surveys provide a higher density of measurements in certain areas, enabling us to more precisely determine deformation patterns over many years.
     To help interpret geodetic data, I use computer models that calculate the expected motion at the earth's surface due to expansion or contraction of magma bodies with simplified shapes, such as spheres or ellipsoids. Simple shapes are used because they adequately match the data and are less time-consuming to calculate than irregularly shaped bodies. Time is important because I run many thousands of calculations to test different models to discover the position, length, width, depth and volume changes that best match the data we've collected. 
     The best-fitting model shows us the most likely place that magma is moving into or out of the volcano, as well as where magma is accumulating and how close it is to the surface. However, no single type of data gives the whole picture of a volcano, so we must interpret our geodetic data along with geologic, seismic and gas data. HVO's different teams come together as a whole to develop sound hypotheses for current activity, hazard levels, and future scenarios.
     Next week, another HVO team writes about its work. Until then, we hope to see you at one or more of our Volcano Awareness Month programs. The schedule is posted on HVO's homepage, volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/.
Deformation data from Kīlauea since 2015. USGS graph 
     Volcano Activity Updates
     Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Kīlauea monitoring data showed no significant changes in activity over the past month. Seismicity was relatively consistent. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are low at the summit and below detection limits at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and the lower East Rift Zone. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen.
     Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain.
     Six earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred on the Island of Hawai‘i this past week: a magnitude-2.8 quake 13 km (8 mi) south of Volcano at 7 km (4 mi) depth on Jan. 7 at 6:08 a.m., a M3.6 quake 16 km (10 mi) north of Pāhala at 9 km (6 mi) depth on Jan. 7 at 2:04 a.m., a M2.4 quake 13 km (8 mi) southeast of Volcano at 2 km (1 mi) depth on Jan. 6 at 11:33 a.m., a M3.5 quake 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Pāhala at 35 km (22 mi) depth on Jan. 6 at 11:19 a.m., a M2.3 quake 6 km (4 mi) south of Leilani Estates at 1 km (1 mi) depth on Jan. 4 at 8:05 p.m., and a M2.9 quake 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Hōnaunau-Nāpō‘opo‘o at 11 km (7 mi) depth on Jan. 4 at 6:46 p.m.
     Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball
Tue., Jan. 14 host Konawaena
Thu., Jan.16 @Kealakehe

Boys Basketball
Sat., Jan. 11, @Konawaena
Mon., Jan. 13 host Hilo
Wed., Jan. 15 host Kealakehe
Fri., Jan. 17 @Parker

Soccer
Sat., Jan. 11 @Honokaʻa
Wed., Jan. 15 @Konawaena
Sat., Jan. 18 Girls @Kamehameha

Wrestling
Sat., Jan. 11 @Kealakehe
Sat., Jan. 18 @HPA

Swimming
Sat., Jan. 11 @Kona Community Aquatic Center
Sat., Jan. 18 @Kamehameha

UPCOMING
SATURDAY, JAN. 11
CANCELLED: Nā Mamo o Kāwā Community Access Day, Saturday, Jan. 11 – second Saturday, monthly – gates open 6a.m.-6p.m., Kāwā. All cars must park at end of road fronting Kāwā Flats. Dogs must be on leash. No driving through fish pond. 557-1433, nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, Jan. 11 – second Saturday, monthly – 8-11a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Swap Meet, Saturday, Jan. 11 and 25 – second and fourth Saturday, monthly – 8-12:30p.m., Cooper Center in Volcano. thecoopercenter.org

Sharp Turns – The Creative Art of Woodturning Exhibit, Saturday, Jan. 11 through Sunday, Feb. 16, daily, 9a.m.-5p.m. Volcano Art Gallery features works of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins. Join the artists for an opening reception on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 5 to 7p.m. Live woodturning demonstration will be held Saturday, Jan. 25, 11a.m.-2p.m. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Stained Glass Basics I with Claudia McCall, Saturday, Jan. 11, 18, and 25, 9a.m.-1p.m. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Second Saturday in Volcano Village, Saturday, Jan. 11 - second Saturday, monthly - 10a.m.-4p.m. Each month, the entire Volcano area hosts a wide array of entertaining, engaging, educational, and delicious activities from  Free family fun, open to the public. For more details and information, call (808)985-8979 or visit experiencevolcano.com, volcanogardenarts.com, or cafeono.net.

 Hike the Path on Mauna Loa's 1868 Lava Flow, Saturday, Jan. 11, 10a.m.-1p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. RCUH-HVO geologists Katie Mulliken and Lil DeSmither lead this guided hike along the Pu‘u o Lokuana trail. Free; bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

Zentangle Embedded: It Grows Like Coral!, Saturday, Jan. 11 – second Saturday, monthly – 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. Creative tangle techniques inspired by Gustav Klimt and Keith Haring. Art supplies provided. Open to all levels. No experience required. Potluck, bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $15 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Kapuaikapoliopele Ka‘au‘a Nā Kumu Pelehonuamea Harman & Kekoa Harman with Hālau I Ka Leo Ola O Nā Mamo and Nā Mea Hula with Loke Kamanu & ʻOhana, Saturday, Jan. 11 – second Saturday, monthly – 10:30-11:30a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula with Kumu Hula Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe, Saturday, Jan. 11 – second Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

House Concert and Silent Auction Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Fundraiser, Saturday, Jan. 11, 6-9p.m., 19-3938 Keonelehua Ave. off Wright Rd in Volcano Village. Parking available but carpooling from Cooper Center advised.
     Entertainment will include Americana and World Music by Anomaly, Virtuoso Guitarist and Violinist, Lauren and Loren. $20 suggested donation includes heavy pūpū and refreshments, BYOB. Tickets available hawaiicountydemocrats.org/bw2020. For further information contact Ann Oshiro-Kauwe, 808-282-3107.

 Sounds at the Summit: Muriel Anderson Live in Concert, Saturday, Jan. 11, 6:30p.m. The guitarist/harp-guitarist leads a journey in music and stories, with a backdrop of visuals artfully compiled by award-winning photo-artist, Bryan Allen. Tickets available online or at any VAC location. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Girls Night Out Band, Saturday, Jan. 11, 7-10p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge, in HVNP. $5 cover charge, free to in-house guests. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SUNDAY, JAN. 12
Puʻu o Lukuana, Sunday, Jan. 12, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, short, .4 mile hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

Sunday Walk in the Park: Halemaʻumaʻu Trail, Sunday, Jan. 12 – second Saturday, monthly – 10a.m.-noon, meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center, HVNP. Organized by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderate 1.6 mile round trip hike. Free for members. Register online. Park entrance fees apply. 985-7373, admin@fhvnp.org, fhvnp.org

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, Jan. 12 and 26 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527, volcanoartcenter.org

TUESDAY, JAN. 14
Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Tuesday, Jan. 14 and 28 – every other Tuesday, monthly – 9a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Call to confirm location before attending. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Empower Meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 14 and 28 – every other Tuesday, monthly – 11a.m.-1p.m., PARENTS, Inc. office, Nā‘ālehu. Empowering girls group. Registration required. Diana, 935-4805

Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment: Lauhala Weaving Ku‘uipo Kakahiki-Morales, Tuesday, Jan. 14 – second Tuesday, Monthly – 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. $10 per person supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Public Information Mtg. by County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management's Solid Waste Division, Tuesday, Jan. 14 at Nā‘ālehu Clubhouse, 95-5635 Māmalahoa Hwy, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend and give input. The Solid Waste Division will be discussing the facilities' operating days and the possibility of modifying the current schedule for transfer stations. Visit hawaiizerowaste.org or call the Solid Waste Division Office at 961-8270 for more.

After Dark in the Park – What's Happening at Kīlauea Volcano's Summit?, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 7-8p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. What are the potential hazards at Kīlauea’s summit? Could explosive activity return? What is known about the water lake? How is it monitored? Join USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists Matt Patrick and Tricia Nadeau as they answer these questions and more. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 15
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, Jan. 15 – third Wednesday, monthly – 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries Annual Mtg., Wednesday, Jan. 15, 5:30 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House on Maile Street. Elections for officers will happen during the short business meeting, followed by potluck pūpū. Sandra Demoruelle, naalehutheatre@yahoo.com or 808-929-9244.

Family Reading Night, Wednesday, Jan. 15 – third Tuesday, monthly – 6-7p.m., Nā‘ālehu Elementary School Cafeteria. Family reading, make & take activities, snacks provided. Free,

THURSDAY, JAN. 16
Aloha Kidney in Kaʻū, Thursday afternoons, 1-3:30p.m., Jan. 16 through Feb 20, Kaʻū Resource Center, 96-3126 Puahala St. in Pāhala. The free class series on Chronic Kidney Disease lead by retired kidney doctor Ramona Wong. Bring a pen and whomever cares/cooks/shops for the person(s) with CKD. Enroll online by Friday, Jan. 10 at alohakidney.com or call (808) 585-8404.

Nāʻālehu School Family Reading Night, Thursday, Jan. 16 – third Wednesday, monthly – 6-7p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Family reading, make & take activities, snacks provided. Free. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

ONGOING
Apply for Mosaics of Science by Monday, Feb. 3. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's 12-week paid summer internship position is designed to engage university students and recent graduates with on-the-ground work experience in the National Park Service. A $4,800 stipend, and all travel costs are covered, including a week-long career workshop in Washington,  D.C. to meet with NPS managers.
     The internship is open to U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents ages 18-30, and to military veterans up to age 35. Funding is provided under a cooperative agreement for youth conservation activities as part of the Public Lands Corps program, which mandates that these age ranges are followed. 
     The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at jody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30-4:30pm, ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30-6p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

Tūtū & Me Home Visiting Program is a free service to Pāhala families with keiki, birth to five years old. This caregiver support program offers those taking care of young keiki "a compassionate listening ear, helpful parenting tips and strategies, fun and exciting activities, and wonderful educational resources" from Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Home visits are one hour in length, two to four times per month, for 12 to 15 visits. Snacks are provided. See pidfoundation.org or call 808-938-1088.

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