Thursday, March 14, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs March 14, 2024

INPUT ON A PROPOSED 7,042-ACRES ADDITION TO KAPĀPALA FOREST RESERVE is sought by
state Department of Land & Natural Resources. DLNR released a statement on Thursday describing the planned Hawaiʻi Forest Reserve System expansion. Its DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife (DOFAW) invites comment before and during a community hearing on Thursday, March 28 at the DOFAW Hilo Office Conference Room,19 E. Kawili Street at 5:30 p.m. To testify remotely via Zoom, email forestry@hawaii.gov at least 24 hours before the hearing to receive a Zoom link.
     The DOFAW statement says it "manages the Forest Reserve System to provide a variety of benefits including recreational and hunting opportunities, watershed restoration, cultural resource preservation, and habitat protection for threatened and endangered native species."
   Kapāpala Forest Reserve is currently comprised of 37,276 acres on the slopes of Mauna Loa above Māmalahoa Highway and northwest of Kīlauea crater. It was first dedicated as a Forest Reserve by Governor's Proclamation on Oct. 17, 1930.
Kapāpala Forest Reserve is slated to expand by 7,042 acres. Photo from DLNR
    The land to be added to Kapāpala Forest Reserve is currently leased for pasture purposes. The proposed action would subdivide the parcel adding approximately 7,042 acres covered by intact native koa and ʻōhiʻa forest to the Kapāpala Forest Reserve. The remaining 15,684 acres of the lease would be set aside to be managed and stewarded by the state Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture.
    Another proposed addition of land to a Forest Reserve to be heard at the meeting is 162 acres in north Hawaiʻi adjacent to the Manowaialeʻe and Hilo Forest Reserves. It includes a koa seed bank with potential for restoration. The property location also enables public access and opportunity for reforestation activities.
    Persons unable to attend or wishing to present additional comments can email forestry@hawaii.gov  or mail written testimony, postmarked no later than April 5, to Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Attn: Forestry Program Manager, 1151 Punchbowl St., #325, Honolulu, HI 96813.
    See the guidelines and learn more about public permits for hunting, gathering, hiking and other activities within the state Forest Reserves at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/permits/.

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COLLABORATION BETWEEN CIVIL DEFENSE AND USGS TO SAVE LIVES is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by Barry Periatt, Administrative Officer with County of Hawai‘i Civil Defense Agency. Volcano Watch is a weekly article from U.S. Geological Service Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and its affiliates. Here is the story from Periatt:
      The COV meeting is held every other year, and it brings scientists from around the world together to share information on the latest eruptive activity and how communities have been impacted, and to present studies on the effects of volcanism. 
    This year, with financial support from the USGS Volcano Science Center, I attended the twelfth Cities on Volcanoes meeting in Antigua because one of the conference's four themes, "From volcano monitoring and hazard assessment to risk management," had a strong emergency management focus.
    In Hawaiʻi, HVO monitors the active volcanoes, determines what hazards we can expect during unrest, and tracks eruptions. HVO is also responsible for setting the volcano alert levels and aviation color codes in Hawai‘i and American Samoa, using the USGS Volcano Alert Level System for Volcanoes. In this capacity, HVO notifies federal, state, and local emergency management agencies, as well as the residents and visitors, of notable volcanic unrest and eruptive activity. HCCDA is then responsible for disseminating alerts about volcanic activity (and other natural or man-made hazards) via our public information and warning system. HCCDA is also responsible for making emergency management decisions, such as road closures or evacuations, if communities or infrastructure are being threatened by volcanic activity. 
Barry Periatt, left, is Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency panelist participating in
 the discussion Lessons from Recent Eruptions and other crises at the recent
 Cities on Volcanoes 12 conference in Antigua, Guatemala. Fellow panelists (were
Jake Lowenstern (USGS/USAID Volcano Disaster Assistance Program), Stavros
Meletlidis(Instituto Geográfico Nacional, Spain), Gustavo Chigna (Instituto Nacional
 de Sismología, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia e Hidrología, Guatemala), and Lina
Dorado (Colombia Red Cross). USGS photo
    Over the five-day COV meeting in Antigua, the reason HVO wanted HCCDA to attend became very apparent. The relationship between HCCDA and HVO exists beyond volcanic unrest; we talk to and share information with each other even when Hawaii's volcanoes are at alert-level normal. What makes our relationship unique is that HCCDA can ask the scientists at HVO questions about the current situation, and they are willing to have a candid conversation about the unrest or eruption. Through these conversations, HCCDA is then able to determine and convey the magnitude (dire versus non-threatening) of the current situation to the public. 
     Hawai'i is fortunate to have such a close relationship between scientists and emergency managers. In some countries, the collaboration between these two groups appears strained. From the outside, it appears that part of the conflict between volcano observatory scientists and emergency managers is the result of their roles not being clearly defined.
    In other places in the world, the responsibilities for setting volcano alert levels and for providing public information and warning appear to be not clearly assigned, or if assigned, not understood by one or more of the organizations involved in the response. This has led to confusion in the public on how serious the threat is and on what actions they need to take. For example, on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, many residents were evacuated in the 1990s from the most threatened area many months before any impacts from eruptions happened. Some individuals who had evacuated returned to their homes because of the lack of impacts, only to perish during the most devasting pyroclastic flow months later. While many factors contributed, in retrospect it appears clearer messaging and communication may have saved more lives. 
    A similar situation occurred in Guatemala in 2018, where the volcano observatory communicated their observations to emergency managers, but some believe that the magnitude of the eruption and its potential hazards were underappreciated, which resulted in a community not being adequately warned to evacuate. A pyroclastic density current destroyed the community and hundreds of residents perished.
    The focus of the COV meeting was on improving all aspects of monitoring, evaluating, and communicating volcanic activity. It's clear that emergency managers and volcano observatories need to work closely together so that emergency managers can get the volcano hazards information that we need to fulfill our obligations to protect life and property during a volcanic event. Emergency managers at HCCDA and scientists at HVO share the same passion for their work, and we will continue working closely together in the future, as new volcanic activity occurs on the Island of Hawaiʻi. 

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VOLCANO ACTIVITY UPDATES: Kīlauea is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is ADVISORY.
Low levels of disbursed seismicity continue at Kīlauea's summit and along the Koa'e fault system southwest of the caldera. Earthquake counts remained below 10 per day until March 11; since March 11, there has been a minor increase in activity, with up to 60 disbursed events occurring per day in this region. Tiltmeters near Sand Hill and Uēkahuna bluff have continued to record modest inflationary trends over the past week. No unusual activity has been noted along the rift zones.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
Webcams show no signs of activity on Mauna Loa. Summit seismicity has remained at low levels over the past month. Ground deformation indicates continuing slow inflation as magma replenishes the reservoir system following the 2022 eruption. SO2 emission rates are at background levels.
There were no earthquakes reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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Kaʻū News Briefs March 13, 2024

A new poster with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National depiction by late minimalist graphic artist and illustrator Charley Harper is printed in large size and available from U.S. Department of the Interior for $16 each. The art was commissioned in 1986.
See https://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/hawaii-volcanoes.

HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK PLANT RESTORATION - Ke Ēweiēwe – will host volunteers led by Eric Hamren of Nursery Operations for six more days before he wraps up his time at the program. Days available for volunteers to sign up are:
    March 19th - Tuesday - Nahuku Restoration (Clearing invasives and planting)
    March 22nd - Friday - Mauna Loa Strip Rd (Clearing invasives and planting)
    March 23rd - Saturday - Nahuku Restoration (Clearing invasives and planting)
    March 26th - Tuesday - Nahuku Restoration (Clearing invasives and planting)
    March 28th - Thursday - Nahuku Restoration (Clearing invasives and planting)
    March 30th - Saturday- Hamren's last day iwth clearing ginger and potluck.

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KAʻŪ BUSINESSES ARE INVITED TO HAWAI‘I ON THE HILL TO PROMOTE LOCAL PRODUCTS and services. U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono collaborates with Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i to host the four-day event in Washington, D.C. June 15-18 to showcase Hawai‘i to the nation's leaders and the D.C. community. The eighth annual Hawai'i on the Hill offers opportunities to gain insights into federal resources and support.
     The Taste of Hawai‘i on Capitol Hill, a highlight of the gathering, draws thousands to the Hart Senate Office Building, providing a tantalizing taste of what Hawaii has to offer. It is the largest such event each year on Capitol Hill. Other highlights include a Welcome Reception presented by Alaska Airlines and The Queen's Health System, Policy Summit presented by Papa Ola Lokahi, a Manufacturing Tour and general visitor tours. Registration packages range from $500 to $25,000 and Alaska Airlines is offering a 25 percent discount on air tickets roundtrip to D.C. For more information, contact Tricia Fetui, VP of Events and Business Development, at tfetui@cochawaii.org.

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2023 first prize winner in Congresswoman
Jill Tokuda's Art Competition.

KAʻŪ STUDENTS CAN ENTER THE CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION FOR 2024. Ka‘u's Congresswoman Jill Tokuda is accepting applications through Monday, April 15 from high school students in her Hawai‘i Second Congressional District. The winning artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol in the Cannon Tunnel, where Members of Congress and tens of thousands of visitors walk and ride underground from the offices of the members of Congress to the U.S. Capitol. The winning artwork is also featured on House.gov's Congressional Art Competition page and Tokuda's website and social media pages. A photo of the completed art and a completed student release form must be submitted to Shaun Kim at Shaun.Kim@mail.house.gov by Monday, April 15, 2024. The physical artwork must be mailed or delivered by Friday, April 19, 2024, 5 p.m. Hawaiʻi time to office of Rep. Jill Tokuda at Topa Financial Center, 700 Bishop St. Suite 1902, Honolulu, HI 96813.
    Contact Tokuda's Hawaiʻi District Office at (808) 746-6220 with any questions.

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THE NEW SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT OPTION FOR PĀHALA is tentatively identified by the County as a "package wastewater treatment plant with new collection system." It is set back from the corner of Hwy 11 and Maile Street that comes into town along the pine tree road. It is described in the Amended Draft Pāhala Environmental Information Document, which became available on Wednesday through the County's monthly status updates at https://www.dem.hawaiicounty.gov/projects/pahala-na-alehu-large-capacity-cesspool-closures and for direct download at https://www.dem.hawaiicounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/307481/638459178461591134.
    The document will also be available at the Pāhala Public and School Library. The community is invited to the Pāhala Community Center at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 10, to provide comments on the Revised Draft EID and the County’s preferred option. The link to join the meeting by Zoom on April 10 is: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/16031058165.
Under the 2024 Revised AOC, the Final EID is due to EPA on July 30, 2024. The final deadline for the County to close the large-capacity cesspools is Jan. 22, 2027.
    The document not only presents the analysis of plans for dealing with the closure of old polluting gang cesspool left over by the sugar plantation when it shut down, it offers an overview of the geography of the area, including:
    "Even though Ka‘ū was one of the originally settled areas in the Hawaiian Islands, it remains a vast remote area. Only a fraction of a percent of the Ka‘ū District has been developed with residential properties, and the remainder is largely used for agricultural purposes or remains undeveloped. The Ka‘ū District covers about 922 square miles (approximately 590,000 acres), with over 80 miles of virtually undeveloped coastline. Nearly two-thirds of its total land area is in the Conservation District. The Ka‘ū District consists of several communities, including the Pāhala community, which had a population of approximately 2,210 persons according to the US Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2021. The distance to the communities of Hilo and Kailua-Kona means that the Ka‘ū District is relatively isolated from the major infrastructure systems found in those communities, including wastewater treatment and disposal facilities."

    The Environmental Information Document also describes the location tentatively selected:
    "The Project Area includes approximately 200 parcels (in whole or in part) and portions of eight County of Hawai‘i streets in Pāhala. The Proposed WWTP Site is located adjacent to the intersection of Maile Street and Māmalahoa Highway within a 14.9-acre portion of Tax Map Key (TMK): (3) 9-6-002-018. The Proposed Collection System Area will include five streets in the western portion of the community (Maile, 'llima, Huapala, Hinano, and Hala Streets) and three public streets in the eastern portion of the community (Puahala, Pikake, and Kamani Streets). The two LCCs slated for closure are located within TMKs (3) 9-6-002:016 (por.), LCC 1, and 9-6-016:041 (por.), LCC 2."
This illustration shows the sewage treatment plant set back from the scenic pine tree entry to Pāhala village
See https://www.dem.hawaiicounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/307481/638459178461591134

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See presentations on https://www.youtube.com/@malamakai