Ka‘ū News Briefs Monday, May 28, 2018

INCREASING VOG AND ASH EXPOSURE IN KAʻŪ WILL BE THE TOPIC OF A MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY at Kaʻū District Gym Multipurpose Room at 5:30 p.m. in Pāhala.

Laze made from lava entering the ocean in lower Puna on Sunday.  Health department and HVO officials will discuss the risks Wednesday  at a Pāhala meeting. Photo by Vijaysai Patnaik

     The U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory organized the meeting to explain the ongoing eruptions of ash and S02 from Halemaʻuma`u that comes to Kaʻū on the winds. The scientists will also discuss laze, created from lava entering the ocean, and S02 produced in lower Puna from lava flows and fountaining. They are expected to talk about how much of those gases are blown to Kaʻū.
     Also on hand to explain risks to the community, management of indoor air, and how to protect oneself outdoors and in vehicles will be a lung specialist, representatives Emergency Medical Services, Kaʻū Hospital, and the state Department of Health - Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office, and Clean Air Branch.
     County Council member Maile David said she hopes to attend. Also attending will be representatives of the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency.

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S02 levels were high, registering orange in Volcano and Pāhala this morning.  They registered red, unhealthy for everyone for part of the day, and recovered to green, good air in afternoon and evening. Air map from Air Now

HIGHER PARTICULATE AND SO2 LEVELS Sunday and Monday morning extended from Volcano through Ocean View. During some periods, Air Now readings for Ocean View and Pāhala reached a red, unhealthy level. Volcano reached an orange, unhealthy for sensitive groups level, before all became green - the good level - this afternoon and evening.
     Numerous ashfalls landed in Kaʻū following explosions today of rock and ash from Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. Ash plumes reached up to 15,000 feet today.
     More than 200 earthquakes occurred in the last 24 hours from Kaʻū through Volcano into lower Puna, including one of 4.1 magnitude at Hilina Pali in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and a 3.5 this morning in Pāhala.

A 3.5 earthquake shook Pāhala at 3:55 a.m. this morning, Memorial Day, while multiple earthquakes rocked Volcano and Halemaʻumaʻu Volcano  sent ash 10,000 feet into the air. More than 200 earthquakes were recorded in 24 hours. Map from USGS

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IN LOWER PUNA, MORE HOMES WERE DESTROYED BY LAVA LAST NIGHT and today, with the total number of buildings reaching more than 200. Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno reported during a press briefing that lava rushed and broke through a perched pond of lava last night and took out ten homes. When going door to door to make sure everyone had evacuated homes in the area, he said, fire, public works, and police personnel found about 20 occupied houses and that some people refused to leave. "It kind of gives us terrifying insight into what's going on out there," said Magno. One man with lava next to his house was rescued.

Aerial view of active lava flow crossing Poho'iki Road during an overflight this morning about 7 a.m. HST. Poho'iki Road cuts through middle of photograph. Note lava fountains erupting (top right) from fissure 8 (left-side fountain) and 24 (right-side fountain) from the fissure complex. By late this morning, the flow's advance slowed to a few meters (yards) per hour, and fissure 8 activity had diminished significantly. USGS photo

     Magno reported 246 people are living in shelters, of the more than 2,000 displaced in lower Puna, mostly from Leilani Estates where the most homes have been destroyed.
     Regarding the two Puna Geothermal Venture wells covered by lava, Talmadge said they are holding, after being quenched with water and shut down before the lava intruded, without any emissions reported. He said government and PGV are working to plug and further quench the wells. During a USGS press conference, it was stated that lava flows were not threatening more wells today.
     Magno also acknowledged that Poho'iki Bay in lower Puna has been reopened for surfing and that surfers could obtain county placards allowing them to go there. He said that Mayor Harry Kim has the understanding of lower Puna residents' special relationship with the Pohoʻiki surf spot, especially after losing other surf breaks to lava along the Puna coast years ago.

Close view of lava channel in middle of the lava flow erupting from fissure 8 during this morning's overflight at about 7 a.m. HST. The tallest lava fountain is fissure 8, active since yesterday evening. The eruption rate at fissure 8 diminished significantly later in the morning. USGS photo

     See the entire press conference at bigislandvideonews.com.

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TESTIMONY AGAINST THE PROPOSED NĀʻĀLEHU WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, next to Nāʻālehu Elementary School, was presented to the county Environmental Management Commission at its Kona meeting last week. Sandy Demoruelle, of Nāʻālehu, who opposes not only the location but the kind of treatment facility planned, said the commission will hold a special closed session next month to review county decision making on the project.
      She claimed the county "failed to meet with the community" prior to proposing lagoon style wastewater treatment plants in Pāhala and Nāʻālehu. Demourelle said she supports less expensive septic systems, saying that they were approved for both towns as the Kaʻū Large-Capacity Cesspool Conversion Project in August, 2007.
     Since then, the county, working with the state Department of Health and EPA, has decided to change from septic system plans to a newer design for wastewater treatment, a lagoon treatment system with water, oxygen, microbes, plants and trees processing the wastewater. Demourelle claimed that the new plan is unnecessarily expensive.

A community member discussing the proposed Nāʻālehu treatment plant with a consulting engineer for the county during public input meeting in April. Photo by Julia Neal

     When giving testimony to the commission, Demoruelle also took issue with the county wanting to purchase and possibly condemning a site for the Nāʻālehu treatment plant. The land has been owned by the Souza family since "at least 1968," she said. She said the family, of which she is an extended member, wants to keep the land. The location has also been opposed by representatives of the adjacent Nāʻālehu School.      

     Demoruelle told The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper that she recently served a lawsuit to F. Scott Pruitt, in his official capacity as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Alexis Strauss, in her official capacity as Acting Regional Administrator of the EPA, Region 9.
     Demoruelle contended that her suit was filed “so the County will have to decide to start the EIS process or just implement their original LCC conversion plans.” The county is in the process of finalizing the choice of a site and proceeding with EIS requirements, said county representatives.

     Demoruelle noted that county Bill 111, for the Capital Improvement Budget, includes $41,051,000 for the Nāʻālehu and Pāhala treatment plants. The bill will go to second County Council reading on June 6. Closest public testimony option opens at 9 a.m., via video conferencing from Nāʻālehu.

5^th Annual Harvest Festival Fundraiser for The VolcanoSchoolof Arts & Sciences at Volcano Winery Sun, Sept 9. Tickets on sale Aug 1: volcanowinery.com or 967-7772. Live music by The Young Brothers; food & drink from local restaurants; award-winning wine and tea; tours of the vineyards.