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Saturday, July 29, 2017

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, July 29, 2017

Keauhou koa forest, further protected by the new Safe Harbor agreement between Kamehameha Schools,
the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Photo by Travis Idol/CTHAR
NEARLY THIRTY THREE THOUSAND ACRES, much of it mauka of Volcano Village, will be further conserved with the Safe Harbor agreement approved Friday between the state Board of Land & Natural Resources, Kamehameha Schools, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The 32,800 acres at Keauhou and Kīlauea, given by Princess Ruth Ke`elikolani to Kamehameha Schools, adjoins the state Pu`u Maka`ala Natural Area Reserve where the Hawaiian Crow is being reintroduced into the wild.
     It also borders Kapapala Forest Reserve, Hawai`i Volcanoes National park, Mauna Loa Forest Reserve and Kipuka Ainahou Nene Sanctuary. The land becomes the largest Safe Harbor for endangered species in the United States.
‘Alalā, with help from San Diego Zoo, will be reintroduced into
adjacent state land with the Safe Harbor property becoming
 a potential habitat for the future. Photo from San Diego Zoo
     The Safe Harbor agreement is for 50 years and is aimed at supporting recovery of threatened and endangered species. The contract establishes a baseline for Hawai`i's only native mammal - the hoary bat, as well as seven species of native birds and 25 species of native plants.
     It is a landmark agreement for Kamehameha School, the first time it has signed such a contract with the state and federal government for conservation.
     DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said, “The vast acreage covered by this Safe Harbor Agreement is incredibly important to the recovery and perpetuation of these vital bird, bat, and plant species. We are extremely happy to have worked out this agreement with Kamehameha Schools and in the coming decades look forward to many great stories of native species success as a result.”                    
     Kamehameha's end of the bargain includes its promise to plant more than 20,000 plants every five years, 1,000 acres of koa in new forests on old pasture, assuring firefighting capabilities with infrastructure and getting ride of pasture fence with barbed wire that can harm the bats. Most of the property is already fenced and largely free of goats, sheep, wild cattle and pigs that compete for resources with native species.
A few of the many species of wildlife supported by the new Safe Harbor
agreement between Kamehameha Schools, the state Department of Land &
Natural Resources and U.S. Fish & Wildlife.
Photos from Kamehameha Schools 
     Jackie Gaudioso-Levita, the ‘Alalā Restoration Project Coordinator for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife said, “The momentous finalization of this large-scale Safe Harbor agreement will particularly benefit imperiled species, such as the ‘Alalā, which will be reintroduced on State land adjacent to the Keauhou-Ka‘ū Kamehameha Schools parcel, thereby in-part, protecting and managing potential ‘Alalā habitat for decades to come.”
     Kamehameha Schools CEO Jack Wong commented, “This agreement strengthens Kamehameha Schools’ ability to steward these lands in a manner that fosters healthy habitats for species fighting to survive. As we work toward a thriving lāhui, the cultural connection to ‘āina that is healthy and
vibrant becomes much more important for Native Hawaiians and all the people of our State.”
    Kamehameha Schools Ecologist Nāmaka Whitehead said that Hawaiians are Hawaiians because of the ‘āina. “Healthy, functioning native ecosystems are the foundation of Hawaiian cultural identity and well-being. Stewarding our ʻāina to be more resilient ensures that future generations will continue to have a relationship with the native species and ecological processes that make us who we
are. I Hawaiʻi no nā Hawaiʻi i ka ʻāina. Our ʻāina, Hawaiʻi, is what makes us Hawaiian.”
     Across the state, Kamehameha Schools owns more than 365,000 acres with about 5,000 acres set aside for commercial and residential use. The non-profit is tasked with using income for education and operates school campuses and outreach programs throughout the islands.
The Safe Harbor near Volcano includes bare lava (in red), forest with closed
canopy (dark green), forest with open canopy (light green), scattered
 trees (mustard) and very scattered trees (yellow). Map from Kamehameha Schools
     See the plan at https://dlnr.
hawaii.gov/wildlife/files
/2013/10/ks-sha.pdf.

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DANGER, HIGH VOLTAGE – KEEP OUT may become pervasive signs in Ocean View, alongside “For Sale” signs, if the industrial size solar project is allowed to proceed on neighborhood houselots.
    The project has been slowed by a complaint lodged by two Ocean View residents, with the state Public Utilities Commission, which regulates utility companies in Hawai`i. An application by HELCO, for an overhead transmission line to serve the project, was put on hold in September 2016 to allow the PUC time to considered the complaint. After an eight-month lull, the complaint case is once again active with an exchange of questions among the complainants, HELCO and the developer – an international corporation based in China, called SPI. 
      The project, which involves placing about 1,000 solar panels on 17 non-contiguous three-acre housing lots and eight 21-acre lots in Ocean View’s makai subdivisions, was announced by HELCO at a community meeting in June 2015. Since then opposition to the project has grown. A petition against the industrialization of Ocean View was signed by 640 residents, about 90 letters of protest were sent to the PUC, including letters from Ka`u’s elected representatives. 
      “I really object to their back door approach,” said Mats Fogelvik, President of the Hawaiian Ranchos Road Maintenance Corp. “This project is supposed to be part of the Feed In Tariff Program, which was aimed at bringing renewable energy to Hawai`i when solar was still new. This should have been up and running in 2012 and saving the island from importing oil for the past five years.  
 
High Voltage signs and fencing are the likelihood, if industrial
scale solar farms are established in Ocean View neighborhoods.
Photo by Ann Bosted
    “It has not yet begun. Instead of spreading the 32 installations slated for this island on parcels of open land, HELCO allowed the developer to concentrate 26 installations in Ocean View on lots that are slated for homes. This is not what the FIT Program should be all about. We don’t want dangerous, high-voltage industrial installations, surrounded by six-foot security fences, in and among our homes. And we certainly do not want a new substation built on HRRMC land right next to the Kohala gate, which HELCO seems bound and determined to give us,” added Fogelvik. 
      This April, an SPI employee, Kevin White, who was vacationing in Hawai`i with his wife, hosted a community meeting in Ocean View, in an attempt to placate residents. 
      Residents loudly made statements to White, including the following: “Go away.” “We don’t want you here ruining our community.” “Have you heard of the Monkey Wrench Gang?” “Your panels will be good for target practice.” “This program was set up for agricultural people, not for you.” “You are scamming us for roads and poles.”
      One resident explained: “As soon as your project was made public, our land and home values went down.  This affects all of us. Everyone in Ocean View will take a hit.”
      Sandi Alexander, the former President of Ocean View Community Association, told The Ka’u Calendar, “I don’t believe they (SPI) have any clue who they are dealing with and how much opposition they will continuously have to deal with until this goes away. Why would anyone want to invest in technology that is already out of date?  We are going to be stuck with outdated, horrible, structures rusting away, and we are going to have to deal with them.  My first choice is no project at all and my second is project elsewhere."
A solar farm in Miloli`i of the type that could be constructed on
numerous lots in Ocean View. Photo by Ann Bosted
      “I object to the way they try to play the jobs card and convince us that this is what we want,” commented Sandra Shelton, Secretary of the Hawaiian Ranchos Community Association. “If the 16 lots in Ranchos could be used for homes, instead of solar installations, far more desirable and useful jobs could be created.  Home building requires carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, landscapers and many other skills that abound in Ocean View.  Solar panels don’t go shopping.  They don’t contribute to the community.  Any profits go to China. 
     “I am still getting e-mailed questions from concerned residents who are very much against the project,” she added. 
      SPI has stated publicly that it plans to sell the project as soon as it is completed, so generating profits from generating solar power is not a goal. Instead, a spokesman stated at a community meeting, SPI plans to claim generous federal and state tax credits, which will reimburse 65 percent of its investment.  If the project can then be sold for an estimated 75 percent of the cost, SPI will have received 150 percent of the cost of the project without producing power. 
      The exchange of questions among the parties to the PUC case (the complainants, HELCO and SPI’s lawyers) must be filed by Aug. 4.  The complainants must submit testimony by Sept. 1, other parties must submit testimony by Sept. 15, and the Complainants must submit rebuttal testimony by Sept. 28.  That will be followed by a prehearing conference, then a hearing, then post hearing briefs, then post-hearing reply briefs, and finally a decision by the PUC. 

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Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Meeting, Tue, Aug 1, 6 – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

Blue Zones Project Gardening Demo, Wed, Aug 2, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Pāhala Community Center. RSVP at jadeiokepa@healthways.com

Open Mic Night, Wed, Aug 2, 6 – 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up and for more details. Open to authorized and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8371



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Friday, July 28, 2017

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, July 28, 2017

The June 2017 earthquake, the biggest in Ka`u in a decade, reminds the USGS to warn people to be prepared
for larger ones like the one that took out this home in Punalu`u in 1975. See story below.
NORTH KOREA DISPLAYED INCREASED COMPETENCE on Friday, by firing a type of intercontinental missile that could one day reach Hawai`i. On Thursday, as reported by Big Island Video News,  Rep. Tulsi Gabbard questioned the Trump administration about its approach to deterring North Korea, beyond pressuring China and Russia to do something. During a hearing before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Gabbard pointed out that China has been mobilizing its military along a North Korean border, stepping up its surveillance." However, she said, "It does not appear that serious diplomatic efforts are either working or continue to be underway, beyond saying, 'We think Russia and  China need to comply with sanctions.'"
     Gabbard questioned Acting Assistance Secretary of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thorton, asking her “Can you talk about how this budget actually supports a serious diplomatic strategy in resolving the threat from North Korea? If so what is it?”
North Korean rocket launched Friday night shows capability
of reaching Hawai`i and perhaps LA.
Photo released by North Korean government
    Thorton said the Department of State is approaching North Korea by “trying to build up a pressure campaign so that they can change the calculation that they’ve made surrounding the cost-benefit analysis of their weapons programs, and their missile programs.” She said a global pressure campaign is new, with the state department talking with representatives of China, Russia "and other major players." She said the U.S. has "really put the onus on China to do a lot more than the've ever done" and that China has complied, seeking a peaceful resolution and hoping to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
     Said Thorton, "The problem is that right now the North doesn’t seem to be very inclined to come back to the negotiating table with any kind of serious attitude or proposal. So what we’re doing is continuing to sort of squeeze and close the vice and hope that that brings about a reckoning in that that they’re paying too much for their weapons programs."
    After today's North Korean missile launch, the U.S. Eighth Army and South Korean army conducted a straining event that included the Army Tactical Missile System and South Korea’s Hyunmoo Missile II.

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THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE CONTINUES and Sen. Brian Schatz released a statement today.
"From the beginning of this health care debate, I’ve hoped that despite incredible odds, my colleagues in the Senate would come together and do what’s right for the American people.
       "Last night, thanks to your courage and determination, the U.S. Senate heeded your calls and voted down Obamacare repeal, protecting health care for millions of people.
       "Because of last night’s historic vote, more than 16 million people across the country will be able to stay on their insurance. Rural hospitals will be able to keep their doors open. Families who are taking care of a loved one will no longer have to worry about paying outrageous medical expenses just to keep them alive. Tens of millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions will be able to afford coverage.
     "Thank you for all of your calls, your petitions, your tweets and for making your voices heard. Your activism made this victory possible.
     "Now my colleagues and I in the Senate can go back to work on health care legislation as intended with proper procedure, public hearings, and debate. I will work diligently with my fellow senators to make sure the next health care bill that comes to the floor reflects our values.
     "In the meantime, there’s more work to be done, from protecting net neutrality to addressing the threat of climate change. I hope you are energized by this victory and ready to join me in the fights ahead."

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THE LARGEST HAWAIIAN EARTHQUAKE IN A DECADE,  June 8, awakened many Island of Hawai‘i residents by a sharp jolt just past 7 a.m. This natural wake-up call was caused by a magnitude-5.3 earthquake. This week's Volcano Watch, written by scientists at the USGS Volcano Observatory, reminds everyone to be prepared.
ShakeMap for the June 8, 2017, earthquake shows that strong 
intensities (yellow color) occurred near the epicenter,
 and weak intensities could be felt as far away as O‘ahu. 
Maps like this are produced by a combination of data
from strong motion accelerometers and felt reports submitted
 by the general public through the USGS Did You Feel It? 
 ShakeMap from USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.
      HVO scientists recall that on June 8, as seismic waves rippled across the island, people described a roaring or rumbling sound as vibrations passed through their homes, rattling items on walls and shelves. Almost 1,000 people submitted felt reports for the earthquake through the USGS Did You Feel It? website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/dyfi). Submissions came in from as far away as the leeward coast of O‘ahu some 500 km (310 miles) distant.
     HVO received several reports of moderate shaking from across Hawaiʻi Island. There were also reports of minor damage from Volcano to Hilo, including a small rockfall on the Chain of Craters Road in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     HVO scientists said "Mahalo to everyone who submits Did You Feel It? reports after an earthquake. By doing so, you contribute to the USGS monitoring program, and help us keep you informed and safe."
      Data from DYFI reports are translated into felt intensity, which describes what people experience during an earthquake. The USGS also records ground shaking intensity with strong motion accelerometers. The geographic distribution of these intensities is portrayed through a USGS product called ShakeMap. The maps combine both quantitative data from seismometers and qualitative data from DYFI felt reports to paint a picture of shaking for each earthquake. This information aids post-disaster response, as well as earthquake risk mitigation.
      The ShakeMap for the June 8 earthquake shows that the strongest ground motions corresponded to a maximum intensity of VI on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/mercalli.php). An intensity value of VI means that strong shaking was felt by all and minor damage occurred in the earthquake vicinity. This was the highest intensity recorded for any earthquake in the State of Hawaii since the Kīholo Bay and Māhukona earthquake sequence in 2006.
      Instruments near the epicenter of the June 8 earthquake recorded maximum accelerations of 0.16g, which is 16 percent as strong as Earth’s gravitational force. Accelerations vary up and down as the seismic waves pass. If the earthquake had been larger (greater than magnitude-6.0), the acceleration likely would have exceeded 1g, or 100 percent times Earth’s gravity. When that happens, objects can be lifted off the ground momentarily. People have observed such ‘jumping rocks’ during past large earthquakes on the Island of Hawai‘i.
Waiohinu church destroyed by and 1868 earthquake.
      The June 8 earthquake occurred at a depth of 7 km (4 mi) beneath Kīlauea Volcano's south flank, slightly above the fault separating the old oceanic crust from younger volcanic rocks that make up the island. Earthquakes along this fault occur when the massive volcanic pile shifts relative to the oceanic crust. The largest Hawaiian earthquakes in recorded history, including the destructive magnitude-7.9 and 7.7 events in 1868 and 1975, respectively, have occurred along this interface.
     Impacts of last month's magnitude-5.3 earthquake were relatively light. But the next big earthquake could have a different outcome. Before it happens, create a quake-safe plan, put together an emergency kit, and keep it handy. And the next time you feel strong shaking, remember these three actions: Drop, Cover, and Hold on! (https://www.earthquakecountry.org/dropcoverholdon/).
      If  near the beach when a strong earthquake strikes, head to higher ground away from the shore as soon as shaking stops. This could save lives in case of a locally-generated tsunami.
      To learn more about how indivisuals, families and co-workers can prepare for the next big earthquake, participate in the Great Hawaii ShakeOut on October 19, 2017 (http://shakeout.org/hawaii). The ShakeOut website features educational videos, flyers, and other materials that describe what to do in a variety of earthquake hazard scenarios.

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Kimchi Making, Sat, July 29, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Aaron and Soohee Martinson introduce students to techniques used to make traditional Korean kimchi. 967-8222

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Meeting, Tue, Aug 1, 6 – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

Blue Zones Project Gardening Demo, Wed, Aug 2, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Pāhala Community Center. RSVP at jadeiokepa@healthways.com

Open Mic Night, Wed, Aug 2, 6 – 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up and for more details. Open to authorized and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8371






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Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, July 28, 2017

Sharing coffee at the Ocean View Community Center were, from the left, Heidi Jaworski, Community 
Policing Officer Clayton Tayamen, Lono Ah Loo and Community Policing Officer Officer Dane Shibuya. 
Photo by Ann Bosted






OCEAN VIEW RESIDENTS ENJOY COFFEE WITH A COP. About 25 Ocean View residents enjoyed conversation, coffee and cakes with the police on Tuesday though the number of hosting police officers was reduced when three patrolmen had to leave to attend an auto accident on the highway.
     The National Coffee with a Cop Day was an unstructured talk story and a way for the Ka’u police officers to meet community members informally and find out what is on their mind, or, as officer Dane Shibuya put it: “We are getting to know each other, one on one.”
     “Some people came with issues to discuss, others came with thanks for police services, and many were just curious.” added Shibuya.
     “This is a great idea,” commented Ocean View resident Heidi Jaworski. “This is real community policing.”
     Asked what she thought was the biggest problem in Ocean View, Jaworski replied: “Drugs and burglaries – they go hand in hand.”
     “We need to install hope, not dope,” added Lono Ah Loo, a dream builder with ideas for helping drug addicts, that he wanted to share with the officers. Coffee with a Cop was held at Ocean View Community Center.
Sen. Brian Schatz said the health care movement is
the largest in American history.
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THE REPEAL OF OBAMACARE WAS VOTED DOWN Thursday night in the U.S. Senate. "Thanks to the millions of Americans who made their voices heard. Thank you to everyone for your courage and determination," tweeted Sen. Brian Schatz. He called the grass roots movement to improve health care and to oppose the repeal the largest in American history. Schatz said the bill to repeal Obamacare would have been devastating. Before the vote, Sen. Mazie Hirono tearfully described her health history from being born at home in rural Japan to losing her sister there to pneumonia and to her own battle with kidney cancer. She said that when she was diagnosed with kidney cancer, she was very grateful that she did not have to worry about having health insurance, "so that I could concentrate on the care that I needed rather than how in the heck was I going to afford the care that was going to probably save my life."
     Hirono said that so many of her colleagues, on the other side of the aisle, have sent her wonderful notes showing their concern about her illness. "You showed me your care, you showed me your compassion. Where is that tonight? I cannot believe that a single senator in this body has not faced an illness or whose family member or loved one has not faced an illness where they were so grateful they had health care?" She said the bill would have taken health care away from 16 million people...."We are better than that."
Sen. Mazie Hirono reviews the health history of her family and
her own battle with kidney cancer.
     The vote to repeal Obamacare failed when Republican Senators John McCain, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted against it. McCain, just days after his own surgery for brain cancer talked to Vice President Mike Pence and Pres. Donald Trump before walking into the Senate Chamber and giving it a thumbs down, reported Politico. "I thought it was the right vote. I do my job as a senator," said McCain. He saved Obamacare, the legacy of Barack Obama, whom McCain opposed in the 2008 presidential campaign.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Coffee Talk, Friday, July 28, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. An informal conversation on a wide variety of topics. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries available for purchase. Free

Ocean View Community Development Corp. meeting, Friday, July 28.Kimchi Making, Sat, July 29, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Aaron and Soohee Martinson introduce students to techniques used to make traditional Korean kimchi. 967-8222. 




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