Ka`u News Briefs Friday, July 24, 2015

No charge to dump trash at Hawai`i County transfer stations, including Pahala, following Environmental Management Committee hearing public testimony yesterday. Photo from Hawai`i Zero Waste

A PROPOSAL TO PAY TO THROW out trash got dumped by Hawai`i County’s Environmental Management Committee yesterday. Kohala County Council member Margaret Wyle introduced a bill to charge residents $1 per 33-gallon trash bag, with one bag free per week. After hearing public testimony mostly opposing the bill, Wille withdrew her proposal. Ka`u News Briefs received many comments on Facebook regarding the measure after reporting about it on Tuesday. 

         Barney Maliki: “Weren’t property taxes put in place to provide for public services such as trash disposal, roads, public facilities, etc? Now they raise taxes plus want the people to pay additional fees for the exact things we are already paying the taxes for! The county and state need to take a step back and reevaluate their annual operating budgets. … Watch how much trash will end up on the roadways then. I think I’ll just do like the old days and set up a burn barrel so all the neighborhood can smell my burning trash. And if I get complaints, that’s too bad; that’s my pulehu pit. So then the county will make a bill against pulehu barrels.”
      Larry Cush: This is a flawed proposal and will only increase the throwing of trash where it doesn’t belong. It would be better to put the money into making recycling easier and increase access to transfer stations. Dumb plan, the county could pay people to bring trash and recycles to transfer station and save more money. This cost should come from property taxes and perhaps sales tax.”
      Irene Perrigo Eklund: “I don’t mind paying, but many just won’t pay, and our island will be covered in garbage. Also, we have enough hoarders, some will just hold onto the garbage on their lots. Not a good thing.”
      Momi Maikai: I can see more people dumping everywhere except at the dump. Office of Environmental management loses all credibility! Charge for rubbish? Maybe she shouldn’t be on the council.”
      Don Hatch: “We already have a problem with people dumping their garbage on the side of the road, even when they can drop it off for free at the transfer stations. If we charge them to drop off their refuse, then we will have a bigger problem. This is simply another expense that will trash our neighborhoods. I know several people that pick up their neighbor’s trash and take it to the transfer station for them. Some are doing it to make their life easier, and others are doing it because their neighbors are elderly and can’t do it for themselves. All this will do is give the Waste Management folks additional staff and increase Hawaiian cost of living.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

PUC Commissioner Lorraine Akiba

HENRY CURTIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of Life of the Land, reported thoughts of Public Utilities Commissioner Lorraine Akiba regarding the future of utility companies on his blog at ililanimediamedia.blogspot.com. Life of the Land is one of many organizations that submitted testimony to the PUC in opposition to the proposed merger of Hawaiian Electric Co. and NextEra Energy. Akiba made the remarks at a National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners conference in New York City. 

      “Success for us would be if we are able to get the utilities of our state to function as utilities of the future in terms of being energy services management companies and seeing customers as their active partners and giving those customers choice and empowerment,” Akiba said.
      “One of the things that distinguish Hawai`i and because we are an island grid ... we have to row together. We can’t be throwing each other off the canoe and the canoe’s going to capsize and everybody goes down in the ocean.
      “So a collaborative process is what we’ve been focusing on. Technical working groups with stakeholders, advocates and all the folks that have to be at the table.
      “And sometimes I think at the commission we feel like we are the adults on the playground or sometimes we’re the referee at the ultimate fighting championship. Depending on the day, our staff comes back and reports to us on the success of our various collaborative working groups.
      “I think collaboration is important for a small state like ours with the kind of utility structure we have, and so therefore that the process becomes ingrained, so that utilities no longer have to have us monitoring that dialogue but can actively engage in that dialogue with third parties, who help them deliver their services to customers, and (with) customers themselves. Then we can really have achieved that change, and they will be operating as utilities of the future.”
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Mee Moua

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS APPROVED a new policy to reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their children – an initiative that Sen. Mazie Hirono has long been fighting for. Since her election to the U.S. House in 2006, Hirono has pushed to end the visa backlog and expedite the visa process for the children of Filipino World War II veterans, including introducing the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act in the House in the 110th, 111th and 112th Congresses while Sen. Daniel Akaka introduced the same legislation in the Senate. In the Senate, Hirono worked with the Hawai`i delegation to introduce the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act in the 113th Congress on a bipartisan basis and then successfully included it in the Senate-passed Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill. This year, Hirono again reintroduced the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act on a bipartisan basis with the Hawai`i delegation and has continued pushing for its passage. Hirono has been working with advocates and colleagues on finding an Administrative solution to reunite the families of Filipino World War II veterans. Prior to the White House announcement, Hirono sent a letter to the President requesting that he take action by granting the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans parole while they wait in the visa backlog. 

      “This is a day to celebrate,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice. “Even though the U.S. government promised Filipino World War II veterans U.S. citizenship in recognition of their service and contributions to America, it took more than 50 years before they actually received citizenship. Until now, the inhumanely long visa backlog has separated them from their children and denied them the opportunity to live together in the United States. We are grateful to the Obama Administration, and appreciate Sen. Hirono and other members of Congress for their leadership in elevating this issue so that our veterans can be reunited with their families and receive the love and care they need during their golden years. It’s long past time the United States made good on its promise, and we hope U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will implement this as soon as possible.”
      Jane Clement, president of the Congress of Visayan Organizations Foundation, said “Sen. Hirono has consistently been by our side as we’ve fought to unify the families of Filipino WWII veterans. It has been an emotional, decades-long ordeal. We appreciate her work in both the U.S. House and Senate, and we are especially grateful to Pres. Obama for utilizing his executive powers to provide expedited processing for the children of Filipino WWII veterans. We will now do all we can to ensure families are aware of this new development and that they have the support needed to help file the appropriate applications and have the necessary documents to finally bring their families together.”
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Jazz in the Forest presents a tribute
to Miles Davis.

FINAL PERFORMANCES OF The King and I take place tonight through Sunday. The show plays tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Tickets for tomorrow’s matinee are by reservation. Advance sale tickets for evenings and the Sunday matinee are available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods and The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo. 

      Call 982-7344 for reservations or more information.

JAZZ IN THE FOREST PRESENTS a tribute to Miles Davis and Island All-Star Jazz Jam tomorrow at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Jr. Volcano Choy and VAC Jazz Ensemble jam with various jazz stars from the Big Island. Performances are at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
      Tickets for matinees are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the evening shows are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
      Tickets are available through today at volcanoartcenter.org, VAC’s Administration Office, VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and Basically Books in Hilo. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets may be picked up at VAC's office today until 5 p.m. or held at Will Call tomorrow.

KUMU HULA BOBO PALACAT and Hula Halau Na Pua Ha`aheo `o Kona perform tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Loke Kamanu and `ohana share Na Mea Hula on the gallery porch from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

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 Thursday, July 23, 2015

Kumu hula Bobo Palacat with Hula Halau Na Pua Ha`aheo `o Kona perform Saturday. Photo from Volcano Art Center

HAWAI`I COUNTY AND TAWHIRI POWER, which generates electricity with windmills at South Point and sells it to Hawai`i Electric Light Co., oppose the proposed merger of Hawaiian Electric Co. and NextEra Energy. As intervenors in the Public Utilities Commission’s examination of the deal, the two entities submitted testimony to the PUC this week. 

      William Rolston, energy coordinator at the county Department of Research and Development, testified for the county. “Whether admitted or not by incumbent utilities, a revolution has begun with individuals taking their energy destiny in their own hands,” Rolston said. “The death spiral for the Vertically Integrated Investor-Owned Utility seems to have started already, particularly in a region such as Hawai`i, where extremely high prevailing electricity rates provide sufficient ‘headspace’ for alternatives to deliver more favorable economics and a more desirable ‘value package’ to consumers. The electric utilities are seeing decreasing demand year after year, in large part due to their high prices, and are holding tightly to the mechanism called Decoupling that ensures their business model will persist even with these imminent warning signs.”

Tawhiri Power, which operates windmills at South Point, opposes
the proposed merger of HECO and NextEra Energy.
Photo by Peter Anderson

      As an example of “individuals taking their energy destiny in their own hands,” Rolston noted that “our Ka`u residents are extremely self-sufficient and survive many interruptions of power, including, for example, when they have been regularly cut off from help due to steady rains that led to flooding, cutting off road access to any outside assistance.”
      Rolston pointed out what he considers a lack of trust of many Hawai`i residents toward outside entities. “Most communities are wise enough to let each newcomer know, especially in tight-knit communities (such as those that comprise the Island of Moloka`i, Island of Lana`i, the areas of Puna and Ka`u, as well as many others) that they have heard all the promises before. Rightfully, they are suspicious as they have years of experience with failed promises from outsiders and even the HECO companies themselves.”
      Rolston also said, “There is significant lack of transparency with this transaction in terms of ‘what, how, when things will be done.’ Further, the ratepayer is not guaranteed any cost reductions. Therefore, if the commission decides to approve the merger, it must include ... conditions to protect the public interest.”
      Tawhiri is concerned that the merger as currently formulated may severely impact its interests. “The application … does not contain any provisions or commitments that the applicants will ensure adequate protection of current long-term power purchase agreements with independent power producers, said ­­­­­Steve Pace, president of Apollo Energy Corp., the managing member of Tawhiri, which has a PPA that expires in 2027. “Without such mechanisms, independent renewable energy producers like Tawhiri must consider the possibility of losing its PPA subsequent to the Change of Control of the Hawaiian Electric Companies. Additionally, the proposed Change of Control has no assurances that Tawhiri will not risk incurring substantial loss of revenues because of increasing curtailment of energy deliveries to the utilities because of either significant load migration or uncontrolled growth of affiliates.
      “The application for the proposed Change of Control does not present any means for preventing continued shrinkage of HECO Companies loads, specifically the load of Hawai`i Electric Light Company, Inc. This is a very serious problem that exists today. Even worse, the Application seems to be endorsing the HECO Companies’ plans to triple investments in Distributed Energy Resources without any sound planning or consideration of the commission’s inclinations. Without sound planning and consideration of the Commission’s inclinations, DERs will siphon away customer loads from utility-scale renewables which will result in a negative impact to Tawhiri. 

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

DLNR Chair Suzanne Case
Photo by John DeMello

THE FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM, administrated through Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife, is accepting applications for conservation acquisition assistance to protect important working forest lands from the threat of conversion to non-forest uses. 

      The program works with private landowners, state and county agencies and conservation nonprofit groups to promote sustainable, working forests. Roughly 58 percent of the land in the state is privately owned. According to DLNR, millions of acres of privately managed, working forests nationwide have been lost or converted to other uses in the last 10 years, with millions more that are projected to be at risk in the next decade. Hawai`i is not an exception to this trend.
      “With the help of land trusts and conservation-minded landowners, we have been able to protect our important forest resources, preserve forest health and watersheds, shelter endangered species and safeguard our culturally important sites,” said DLNR Chair Suzanne Case.
      More than two million acres of threatened private forests in the U.S. have been protected under the Forest Legacy Program, of which 45,000 acres have been protected in Hawai`i. DOFAW is currently working on projects that will protect an additional 5,000 acres of important forested watershed lands through the establishment of conservation easements.

      Conservation easements are a relatively new conservation tool that allows a landowner to retain ownership of the restricted title to their property while providing permanent protection from development or unsustainable uses. Often, this economic opportunity provides landowners with an alternative to selling their land to development companies. Conservation easements are strictly voluntary to enter into, and the restrictions are binding to all future owners in perpetuity.

      “The national Forest Legacy Program is very competitive with only a few dozen projects funded by the U.S. Forest Service each year,” Case said. “Hawai`i always puts in strong projects that compete well in this national program.”

Norman Arancon as the King of Siam
Photo from KDEN

      The Hawai`i Forest Legacy Program has identified forest lands throughout the state as important and in need of permanent protection. More information about this status can be found in the state’s Assessment of Needs at (http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/lap/forest-legacy/). The Hawai`i program accepts both fee title and conservation easement acquisitions. Fee title acquisitions are voluntary and can provide landowners with the knowledge that their property will be managed and owned in perpetuity by the state of Hawai‘i.

      The deadline for the next round of applications to the program is Aug. 17. Applications can be found at the website above and should be submitted to Irene Sprecher by email. Landowners and nonprofit entities who are interested in participating are encouraged to contact Sprecher at 808-587-4167 or by email at Irene.M.Sprecher@Hawaii.gov to discuss their property and interest in the program.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

FINAL PERFORMANCES OF KDEN’S summer production of The King and I take place this weekend. Showtimes are tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Tickets are $14 general admission, $12 for seniors and students and $10 children 12 and under. Available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods, The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo and at the door.

      Call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com for more information.

VOLCANO ART CENTER PRESENTS HULA Saturday. Kumu hula Bobo Palacat with Hula Halau Na Pua Ha`aheo `o Kona perform from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the hula platform near VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Loke Kamanu and `ohana share Na Mea Hula on the gallery porch from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S SUMMER Jazz In The Forest concert series continues on Saturday with a Miles Davis Tribute Concert and Island All-Star Jazz Jam. The evening at VAC’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village features the Jr. Volcano Choy VAC Jazz Ensemble jamming with various jazz stars of the Big Island. Performances are at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

      Tickets for matinees are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the evening shows are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
      A Wine and Beer Room is open to enjoy before and after the concert. Ticket holders can purchase Volcano Red Ale and Mauna Kea Pale Ale from Mehana Brewing Company as well as wine before each performance.
      Also, an area has been set aside for dancing.
      Tickets are available through tomorrow at volcanoartcenter.org, VAC’s Administration Office, VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and Basically Books in Hilo. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets may be picked up at VAC's office today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or held at Will Call on Saturday.

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.

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.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

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.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

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.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

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.” 

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

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.” 

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

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.