The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island: Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 9, 2024

Monday, September 09, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 9, 2024

Volunteers count seabirds and can sign up for six month stints on remote Pacific atolls. USFW photo

KAʻŪ RESIDENTS VOLUNTEERED ON KUAIHELANI - MIDWAY ATOLL - IN THE PAST AND NEW volunteer applications are being accepted. The biological positions are at Midway Atoll

National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway National Memorial for six-month tours of duty, usually spanning October through April and April through October. Months may vary pending flight schedule. Midway is out in the Pacific about 1,500 miles northwest of Kaʻū.
There is also the opportunity to donate funds to support the volunteers. Friends of Midway Atoll, over the last 15 years, has contributed over $80,000 in support of the annual census. These funds have purchased equipment needed for the counts, covered meal costs for all of the counters (12 to 18 people a year), plus costs for team leaders—on occasion.

This year, Friends of Midway Atoll has committed $9,000 to bird counter meals and $6,500 to be paid to offset new flight costs. Friends of Midway invites help to raise the first $3,000 by the end of September.

To volunteer, donate and learn more, see https://www.fws.gov/refuge/midway-atoll/get-involved and https://friendsofmidway.org/

Caren Loebel-Fried, of Volcano, sketches an albatross with egg on Midway. Volcano Art Center Photo by Dan Clark

To read comments, add y o ur own, and l ike thi s story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.co m. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

The red line is the place where a road is planned within the 61,641 Kaʻū Forest Reserve to access fencing for maintenance and for firefighting. Comments are due by Oct. 8. DLNR map

CREATING ROADS IN THE KAʻŪ FOREST RESERVE AND MANUKĀ NATURAL AREA RESERVE to maintain fencing and fight wildfires is planned by the state Department of Land & Natural Resources. Draft Environmental Assessments were published Sept. 8 in The Environmental Notice, posted by the state Department of Health. Public input is due on Oct. 8. The projects seek Conservation District Use Permits.

Existing fencing along forestlines protects native ecosystems. Both EA's describe the wildlife, archaeology and geography of the areas.

The red line is the place where a road is planned within the 25,550 acre
Manukā Natural Area Reserve for fenceline maintenance and firefighting.
DLNR map

Regarding the 61,641 acre, state owned Kaʻū Forest Reserve, the Draft EA says: "To gain access for the maintenance of a hooved-animal-proof fence, the Division proposes creating a road with a bulldozer. The Division is avoiding impact to sensitive ecosystems by locating the proposed activities on an area primarily composed of lava from the 1950 flow. The proposed road corridor is approximately 1.3 miles long. The road will be installed in a remote area of the Kaʻū Forest Reserve that borders Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Lengths are approximate and subject to change.
"In addition to saving time for conducting natural resource management such as invasive species control and tree planting, this road will reduce the amount of time needed to respond to emergencies like wildfires in this area."

See Kaʻū Forest Reserve EA at https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/Doc_Library/2024-09-08-HA-DEA-Kau-Forest-Reserve-Fenceline-Access-Project.pdf

Regarding the 25,550 acre, state owned Manukā Natural Area Reserve, the Draft EA says: "To gain access and clear for the construction of a hooved-animal-proof fence, the Division proposes creating a road using a bulldozer to improve access to a proposed fenceline and also serve as a firebreak. The Division is avoiding impact to sensitive ecosystems by primarily locating the proposed activities on disturbed areas or areas with low biodiversity.

"An existing bulldozed road exists for approximately 1 mile, and this project proposes to widen that existing road from 8’ to 16’ and extend that road an additional approximately 1.1 miles. The road is proposed to be situated to avoid kipuka of native vegetation as much as possible, and portions will be sited on barren lava or pioneer vegetation from relatively recent lava flows. The fenceline is approximately 2.9 miles. Lengths are approximate and subject to change."

See Manukā Natural Area Reserve EA at https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/Doc_Library/2024-09-08-HA-DEA-Manuka-Reserve-Fenceline-Clearing-and-Access-Project.pdf

https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/Doc_Library/2024-09-08- HA-DEA-Naalehu-Large-Capacity-Cesspool-Closure.pdf

A PUBLIC MEETING ON WASTEWATER TREATMENT FOR NĀ’ĀLEHU will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center. The Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Nāʻālehu Large Capacity Cesspool (LCC) Closure project was published in the Sept. 8 issue of the state Environmental Review Program’s The Environmental Notice. Public comments are due on the Oct.10 meeting date.
The County of Hawai'i is obligated to replace the old sugar plantation gang cesspool sewer system in Nāʻālehu. Its preferred action is a new collection system and new package wastewater treatment plant for which the County will be taking public input.

Consulting firm Wilson Okamoto Corp, which drafted the plan, reports that oral comments at the meeting and written comments received in response to this Draft EA will be considered in the preparation of the Final EA.

The DEA is available for review on the ERP Website at the following URL address:
https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/Doc_Library/2024-09-08-HA-DEA-Naalehu-Large-Capacity-Cesspool-Closure.pdf

Submit comments via email to publiccomment@wilsonokamoto.com, or written comments via mail to: Wilson Okamoto Corporation, 1907 South Beretania Street, Suite 400, Honolulu, HI 96826, Attention: Keola Cheng. With questions and requests for additional information, call Keola Cheng and Harlee Meyers at (808) 946-2277.

THE STATEWIDE HAWAI'I COFFEE ASSOCIATION has announced its new board members, some of them with Kaʻū connections. HCA sponsors coffee cupping, education, legislative action, a conference and other support for Hawai'i grown Coffee.

Ala Kostenko, of A Coffee Farm, and one of the organizers of Kaʻū Coffee

Festival, is Secretary. Lora Botanova, of Big Island Coffee Roasters and formerly of Kaʻū Coffee Mill, is on the board. Roger Kaiwi, the new manager of Kaʻū Coffee Mill, is on the board.

Other Kaʻū related HCA members include Lorie Obra of Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee; Genaro Martinez of MTZ Kaʻū Coffee Farms; Armando and Karina Rodrigues of Casablanca Farms LLC/Aloha Star Coffee Hawai'i LLC; and Chris Manfredi of Kaʻū Farm & Ranch.

President of Hawai'i Coffee Association is Bill Dwyer of Kona Mountain Coffee. Vice President is Fred Cowell of Kona Hills. Treasurer is Abby Munoz of Monarch Coffee in Kona. Also on the Board are Sam Schjamk of Hawai'i Coffee Co., Kimo Falconer of Hawa'i Coffee Growers Association, Dave Bateman of Heavenly Hawaiian Farms in Kona, Ryson Nakamasu of Honoulu Coffee Co., Donna Woodley of Island Sun in Kona, Bronson Yadao of Kaua'i Coffee Co., LLC, Suzanne Shriner of Kona Coffee Farmers Association, Chris Speere of Maui Coffee Association and Scott Snyder of Royal Aloha Coffee Co, based in Colorado, which franchises Bad Ass Coffee of Hawai'i shops throughout the country.

Learn about Education, News and Membership at HCA at https://hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/.