Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, July 22, 2015

KDEN has added another matinee to its final weekend of performances of The King & I. Photo from KDEN

KA`U COULD BE A PIONEER in the use of hydrogen fuel for transportation. Nancy Cook Lauer, of West Hawai`i Today, reported that the county Agriculture Advisory Commission yesterday discussed using excess power from Edmund C. Olson Trust’s proposed hydroelectric plant to create a hydrogen filling station.

At full capacity, Keaiwa reservoir holds almost 13 million gallons of water.
Photo by Julia Neal

      Cook Lauer called the project “a model for private-sector self-sufficient water and energy projects on agriculture land countywide.”
      Chair Tim Richards said at the meeting, “Ka`u is a place where, if you just add water, you can grow anything you want.” 

      The Keaiwa reservoir, the source of water for Olson’s coffee farm and proposed hydroelectric plant, was damaged in the 1983 earthquake, leaving cracks about halfway up the side of the nearly 13-million-gallon structure. 

      Olson Trust land manager John Cross told Cook Lauer, “We’re working with the Department of Land & Natural Resources on an acceptable repair plan to return the reservoir to its originally designed capacity.” The reservoir currently can hold five million gallons of water but could generate much more electricity if full.
      According to Cook Lauer, original plans to produce enough electricity to run the Ka`u Coffee Mill and use the excess to power 400 homes in Pahala fell through when Hawai`i Electric Light Co. told Olson he would have to pay about $1 million to upgrade power lines along Wood Valley Road.
      Another option is to use the power to replace propane burners at the mill, creating a 100 percent green energy operation. “It would be exciting to have this powered completely by water,” Cross told Cook Lauer.
      See westhawaiitoday.com.
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KA`U’S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER Maile David submitted a resolution to provide $15,000 in contingency relief funds to `O Ka`u Kakou for community outreach and engagement activities that promote agricultural tourism. David’s request states that the goal is to “increase economic contribution of the visitor industry of Hawai`i Island and promote quality experiences for visitors and residents alike.” 

      Hawai`i County Council meets Friday at 9 a.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building. The meeting is also streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings.
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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY and NextEra Energy responded to Gov. David Ige’s and state agencies’ opposition to the proposed merger of the two utilities.
      “We recognize that this proposed merger is a very important matter for our customers, our communities and the state at large,” HECO president and CEO Alan Oshima said. “The PUC review is an ongoing process that provides an opportunity to address and answer questions or concerns. As more information is provided throughout this process, we feel strongly that others will also conclude that this partnership with NextEra Energy will result in significant benefits for our customers and for Hawai`i’s leadership in clean energy.”

      NextEra spokesman Rob Gould told Cindy Ellen Russell, of Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “NextEra Energy and the Hawaiian Electric Cos. believe that this merger truly is in the best interest of the state of Hawai`i and, in particular, Hawaiian Electric’s customers. We have made commitments to employees, community causes and for the establishment of a local independent advisory board, and we will listen to and work with all stakeholders to achieve what’s best for the state of Hawai`i and Hawaiian Electric’s customers.
       “We are optimistic that as the regulatory process continues, we will find more common ground and further demonstrate the strong public-interest benefits of this merger.”
      See staradvertiser.com.
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Marti Townsend

THE SIERRA CLUB OF HAWAI`I PRAISED Gov. David Ige for publicly announcing his opposition to the NextEra-HECO merger. “We 100 percent agree with the governor on the NextEra takeover,” said Marti Townsend, Director of Sierra Club’s Hawai`i Chapter. “Hawai`i is leading a revolution in renewable energy that requires local leadership that is committed to serving the needs of Hawai`i’s energy customers. NextEra is just not on the same page with the rest of Hawai`i.” 

      Sierra Club’s testimony submitted to the Public Utilities Commission on Monday highlights in detail how NextEra’s business philosophy and culture as practiced in Florida run in what the Townsend called “the exact opposite direction of Hawai`i’s statewide commitment to clean energy.”
      According to the Sierra Club, NextEra:

• “Demonstrates no experience or accomplishments in renewable energy, but relies predominantly and increasingly on LNG and secondarily on nuclear energy, neither of which will achieve Hawai`i’s 100 percent renewable by 2045 goal. 
• Aggressively campaigns against customer-side clean energy, including energy efficiency and customer renewable systems. 
• Focuses decision-making on revenue loss to the utility, rather than total benefits and costs to all customers and society. 
• Lacks experience or accomplishments in solar energy; less than one percent of its capacity is from solar energy, and 0.01 percent of its 4.7 million customers have rooftop solar. 
• Perpetuates the lack of market competition by opposing customer options for third-party solar providers, eliminating customer solar incentive programs and circumventing competitive bidding for its proposed utility solar projects. 
• Continually opposes customer energy efficiency, recently gutting energy efficiency goals and programs to almost nothing. 
• Fails to use advanced metering infrastructure to support customer options and value such as innovative rate designs and distributed energy resources. 
• While restricting and eliminating customer options to manage their energy usage and bills, pursues massive utility-side investments like costly and risky nuclear plants and automatically passes the costs onto its ratepayers. 
• Dominates the political arena through extensive spending on lobbying and political contributions, and revolving door relationships. 
• Pushes through controversial projects and revenue increases over the strong objections of the Office of Public Counsel, Florida’s counterpart to Hawai`i’s Division of Consumer Advocacy. 
• Actively engages in the political arena where the commission’s authority is undermined and even commission members are replaced.” 

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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and five other lawmakers hosted a press conference
to encourage members of Congress to vote no on the DARK Act.
Photo from Office of Rep. Gabbard

TODAY, U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD and other colleagues condemned the industry-driven Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, also known as the Deny Americans the Right to Know Act. This legislation would overturn state laws requiring labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms. 

       According to Gabbard, although 90 percent of Americans support the labeling of food containing GMOs, there is no federal policy in place to label such foods. Three states – Vermont, Maine and Connecticut – have passed laws requiring GMO labeling, and over 30 states have considered similar legislation, including Hawai`i.
       The bill would preempt states’ laws on GMO labeling and codify the current system of voluntary labeling. In addition, the bill would require the Food and Drug Administration to allow “natural” claims on food products containing GMOs.
       Gabbard said sixty-four countries around the world already require the labeling of GE foods, including all the member nations of the European Union, Russia, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand.
      “Almost 90 percent of the American people want to know what’s in their food,” Gabbard said. “The DARK Act would roll back steps taken by a majority of states and counties, including communities in Hawai`i, to better inform people about the ingredients in the food they eat. This bill takes away a basic consumer right for people to know what’s in their food and undermines local control. This bill is bad for transparency, consumer rights and democracy and should be defeated.” 

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DUE TO OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO KDEN’s production of The King and I, a Saturday matinee has been added to this final weekend of performances. The show, which stars Norman Arancon as the king and Jeanette Gilbert as Anna, plays Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Tickets for the Saturday matinee are by reservation. Advance sale tickets for Friday and Saturday evenings and the Sunday matinee are available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods and The Most Irresistible Shop. Call 982-7344 for reservations or more information.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Hawai`i County Environmental Management Committee is considering a bill that would impose fees on bags of refuse thrown out at transfer stations, such as this one in Wai`ohinu. Photo from Hawai`i Zero Waste

A PARTIAL PAY-PER-BAG FEE PROGRAM for refuse to be landfilled is on the agenda of Hawai`i County’s Environmental Management Committee meeting this week. The program allows each household and business one 33-gallon bag of refuse per week to be landfilled without any bag fee. 

      According to Bill 32, introduced by Kohala Council member Margaret Wille, its purpose is to reward those who separate their recyclables and compostables from landfill refuse.

Margaret Wille

      Thom Randle, Chair of the county Environmental Management Commission, said the EMC supports the intent of this bill to prevent recyclables and compostables from entering the landfill. He said that successful implementation by the Department of Environmental Management would require an increase in the department’s budget for both personnel and equipment. The DEM Solid Waste Division is preparing an analysis of funding necessary to successfully implement the program.
      Randle said distribution logistics are “challenging, complicated and costly.” He also pointed out that multiple bag distribution locations would be required, as well as a system to document and monitor tags. He also said options to purchase bags at local businesses should be pursued.
      EMC suggested that additional bag costs be set at $4 per 33-gallon bag, and that 15-gallon bags should not be considered. However, if 15-gallon bags are desired, cost of $2 per bag should be set.
      Randle said options for automated monitoring of residential use of transfer station should be researched. One suggestion is for use of remote scan devices similar to toll booth monitoring/billing systems. Residents utilizing transfer stations would be tracked and billed a cost when usage exceeds once per week. Randle said such a system would greatly simplify monitoring and enforcement, reduce requirement for additional personnel and preclude requirement for special bag/tag purchase.
      EMC also emphasized that recycle, reduce and reuse education efforts should be funded and increased to maximize different media sources and opportunities. The committee also suggested expanding HI-5 redemption programs to include additional recyclables to further incentivize diversion and recycling.
      “Rewarding for recycling rather than penalizing for not recycling would be preferable,” Randle said.
      Environmental Management Committee meets Thursday at 3 p.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED merger of Hawaiian Electric Co. and Florida-based NextEra Energy is coming from Gov. David Ige and state agencies, according to a story in Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Craig T. Kojima reported that Ige yesterday recommended that the state Public Utilities Commission reject the deal. “When we first met with NextEra, we were very clear that we had serious reservations about its proposal,” Ige said in a statement to the Star-Advertiser. “Those reservations remain, and if anything, are stronger today.” 

      Ige said, “We are committed to a 100 percent renewable future, standing alone among the 50 states in the nation in that action. We need an electric company that sees Hawai`i as the center of its work and the opportunity we represent as one of the greatest moments in history for any utility. We have not seen that in this proposal.”
      The state Office of Planning and Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism filed documents with the PUC stating that the merger “should not be approved,” Kojima said. The office said NextEra has not provided information about possible societal benefits of the deal. “There remain questions or uncertainty on issues such as commitments to corporate giving, impacts to employees/employment/labor, corporate governance and community values,” the office said.
      DBEDT is concerned that NextEra has not proven that it has internalized local issues into its decision making processes. “The applicants have not shown that the proposed transaction is in the public interest. Thus, the commission has the authority to reject the proposal without further consideration,” DBEDT said. “The applicants had the burden of proof and were either unable or unwilling to submit a proposal that satisfied that burden.”
      See staradvertiser.com.
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AVERAGE RETAIL GASOLINE PRICES in Hawai`i have fallen 1.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.33/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 355 gas outlets in Hawai`i. This compares with the national average that has fallen 0.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.76/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. 

      Including the change in gas prices in Hawai`i during the past week, prices yesterday were 100.7 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 2.5 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 3.5 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 81.2 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.
      “After areas of the West Coast saw hikes at the pump, things are finally beginning to cool with gas prices declining in all but 15 states versus last week,” said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst. “While California, Arizona and Nevada all saw price increases versus a week ago, the tide turned late in the week when prices peaked and now are moving lower again… . With oil nearing $50/bbl, there’s a very good possibility that by mid-fall, gasoline prices could fall under $2/gallon in a growing number of states.”

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Lauren Moriguchi

LAUREN MORIGUCHI IS DIRECTOR of the Executive Office on Early Learning, appointed by Gov. David Ige. She will coordinate early childhood education services currently offered within the public school system and will guide policy around the expansion of early childhood education through collaboration with legislators and the governor. 

      Moriguchi was born and raised on O`ahu and has worked in education for more than 15 years. She has served as an educational specialist at the state Department of Education, a preschool teacher, special educator, resource teacher, mentor teacher and educational specialist at both the district and state levels.
      Moriguchi works with Special Olympics Hawai`i and has been instrumental in developing the structure for the Young Athlete’s program, which provides children 2.5 to seven years of age with a developmentally appropriate learning environment for children and parents while providing leadership skills to middle and high school students.
      A graduate of the University of Idaho, Moriguchi received her bachelor’s degree in Child, Family and Consumer Sciences with an emphasis on early childhood, and a minor in Aging Studies. She is currently working on her master’s degree in Curriculum Studies with an emphasis on early childhood.
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INCREASED ACCESS TO TELEMEDICINE for Medicare patients is the goal of new legislation Sen. Mazie Hirono is fighting for. The bipartisan Telemedicine for Medicare Act is a bill that would allow Medicare patients to seek care from Medicare doctors across state lines through telemedicine services.

      “As our country confronts a looming physician shortage, those of us in Hawai`i are already feeling the pain of a lack of access to medical care in rural and underserved communities,” Hirono said. 

A`ali`i is valuable as a component of lei.
NPS Photo by Jay Robinson

      “Hawai`i residents often are forced to drive for hours to see their physician or spend thousands of dollars to fly to O`ahu and the mainland to seek care from a specialist. For seniors, these long travel times are difficult and even impossible. The TELE-MED Act will help to eliminate the financial and physical stress of seeking quality medical care by allowing seniors access to Medicare-participating physicians from the convenience of their home or local doctor’s office.”
      The TELE-MED Act is supported by the Health IT Now Coalition, the Healthcare Leadership Council, the U.S. Chamber, Verizon and the Parkinson’s Action Network.

RANGERS FROM HAWAI`I VOLCANOES National Park share the uses and cultural importance of native and Polynesian introduced plants tomorrow from 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai.
      Call 985-6011 for more information.

OCEAN VIEW RANCHOS SOLAR SUBSTATION, planned by Hawai`i Electric Light Co., is the subject of a steering committee meeting on Thursday, July 30 at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. The substation is designed to support solar farms on more than 20 lots in the community.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, July 20, 2015

Hawai`i students may have opportunities to visit and learn about Solar Impulse during its extended stay on O`ahu.
Photo from solarimpulse.com

TWO HYDROGEN FUELING STATIONS planned at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will be the first to serve the public on Hawai`i Island, according to an Associate Press story in Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The park will use two 25-passenger buses to shuttle visitors from Kilauea Visitor Center to Thurston Lava Tube.

      Mitch Ewan, systems program manager for Hawai`i Natural Energy Institute, told reporter Kathryn Mykleseth that the first station for shuttle buses in the park would be complete by the end of September, with another in October. Ewan said adding the stations will help the deployment of hydrogen as an alternative transportation fuel in Hawai`i. He told Mykleseth the institute has seen a lot of interest from automobile dealers.

Hydrogen produced on Hawai`i Island will fuel
buses in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Map from HNEI

      The state’s goal is to cut use of fossil fuels for ground transportation by 70 percent by 2030. The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism has listed hydrogen-powered vehicles as one alternative that would help reach that goal.
      See staradvertiser.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING considered as partial compensation for Solar Impulse’s use of University of Hawai`i’s hangar at Kakaeloa Airport on O`ahu. During its record-breaking flight from Japan, the solar-powered planes batteries suffered damage, and the crew expects it to be grounded until April.
      Vassilis Syrmos, vice president for research and innovation at UH system, told Shiwani Johnson, of Pacific Business News, that plans are to organize lectures and seminars. He said all types of students can learn from the Solar Impulse venture.
      “On one hand you have the technology,” Syrmos said. “It is a miracle of technology, and students can learn from that. But, the most important thing is that it shows that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”
      See bizjournals.com/pacific.
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KA`U SCHOOLS AND NONPROFITS can apply for funding to plan, develop, implement and evaluate eligible Safe Routes to School infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects. A call for applications from Hawai`i Department of Transportation is available at http://spo3.hawaii.gov/notices/notices/9f11c1fc2155a8984be67ac1ac281c3e.

      SRTS is an international effort to increase safety and promote walking and bicycling to and from school.
      Eligible recipients of funds to be used for SRTS projects are limited to state, local and regional government agencies, including schools and school districts, and nonprofit organizations. Recipients of SRTS federal funds will be responsible for all aspects of project implementation.
      Eligible SRTS projects and activities directly support increased safety and convenience for students in grades K-8 to walk and/or bicycle to and from school. In addition, all projects that use SRTS federal funds shall comply with applicable federal, state and local provisions.
      Applications must be received by Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at Department of Transportation, Highways Division
 Traffic Branch, Attn: Tara Lucas, 
601 Kamokila Boulevard, Room 602
, Kapolei, Hawai`i 96707
.

      For more information on the SRTS federal program in Hawai`i, see http://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/srts/.
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KEY FUNDING TO SUPPORT Neighbor Island tourism at Hawai`i airports is part of the agriculture appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016 passed by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill also includes funding requested by Sen. Brian Schatz for food safety and invasive species control.

Sen. Brian Schatz

      Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked to increase funding by $1 million for agricultural inspection stations like those at neighbor island airports, making it easier for travelers to move through the agricultural inspections process.

 “Without agricultural inspection stations at our neighbor island airports, tourists would be forced to claim the bags in Honolulu, get them inspected, and then recheck them before boarding their flights home,” Schatz said. “This funding makes it easier to ensure visitors and residents alike have a better experience traveling through our airports.”


      Key funding in the agriculture appropriations bill sought by Schatz includes 

$27.9 million for Airport Agricultural Inspections. In Hawai`i, this program funds federal agricultural inspectors at airports on Kaua`i, Maui, O`ahu, and Hawai`i Island. It is critical to conduct inspections at Neighbor Island airports so that passengers can directly connect to flights to the mainland, Schatz said.


      The bill also includes a $45 million increase for food safety. “Recent listeriosis outbreaks caused by contaminated vegetables have shown that there is still much to be done to protect the nation’s food supply,” Schatz said. “That is why Congress passed the 2010 Food Safety Modernization Act. This funding would help implement FSMA so that food in supermarkets is safe, while at the same time helping local farmers and food manufacturers understand and comply with the new requirements.”



      Another $92 million helps control invasive species. This funding, which the Appropriations Committee increased by $2 million this year, provides resources for the Wildlife Service Program in Hawai`i, Guam and the Pacific Islands for protection of agriculture, public and private property, natural resources and human health and safety posed by wildlife, including invasive species and feral animals. A key part of the operations program is to prevent movement of brown tree snakes from Guam to Hawai`i and the U.S. mainland.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

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U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD RECEIVED the Friend of the National Parks Award from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association. The award recognizes Gabbard’s support of national parks during the 113th Congress.

      NPCA’s Friend of the National Parks Award was established in 1999 to track and publicize congressional members’ votes on significant park issues. This year, NPCA tracked votes for three national park-related bills in the Senate and five in the House of Representatives. To receive the award, senators needed to vote in favor of national parks on at least two scored bills and representatives on at least three scored bills. Gabbard supported all five bills.
      “Hawai`i is home to some of the country’s most beautiful and diverse national parks, from the awe-inspiring nature of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Hawai`i Island to the incomparable story of Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Moloka`i,” Gabbard said. “I’m humbled to receive this award as a Friend of the National Parks and will continue to work to foster educational opportunities and promote protections for Hawai`i’s unique natural beauty and cultural resources.”
      NPCA President and CEO Clark Bunting said, “It’s an honor to recognize Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for supporting our national parks on the floor of the House during the 113th Congress. As the 114th Congress works on policies and funding levels impacting our national parks, I look forward to working with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to ensure national parks have safe roadways, are well maintained and have the resources they need to thrive for their upcoming centennial.”

Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger as Thomas Jaggar
Photo from NP

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A WALK INTO THE PAST FEATURES living history presenter Dick Hershberger dressed in period costume and bringing back to life Thomas A. Jaggar. Jaggar founded Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and was a prominent figure in the history of volcanology, the study of volcanoes. The program takes place in the Whitney Vault, a 16-by-12-foot underground laboratory that still has original seismograph equipment. Participants meet at Kilauea Visitor Center Tuesday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. 

      Free; park entrance fees apply. 

      Call 985-6011 for more information.

RANGERS FROM HAWAI`I VOLCANOES National Park share the uses and cultural importance of native and Polynesian introduced plants Wednesday from 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai. Participants engage in this hands-on event and leave with treasured `ike (wisdom) and a handmade Hawaiian craft of their own.
      Call 985-6011 for more information.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.