Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, July 8, 2019

A race that involves picking up a rider on the back of the horse. Photo by Leilani Esperanza of Lahaina Luna

     A message from the Democrats says, "We are currently in a 30-day comment period from the Safe Drinking Water Branch and the Commission on Water Resource Management regarding Hū Honua's application for updates to its Underground Injection Control (UIC) permits (Application UH 3051). We are asking that members of the Hawaiʻi County Democratic Party submit comments regarding this application, and request that the Department of Health hold a public hearing and that the comment period be extended to 30-day from the date of the public hearing."

     At the 2018 State Democratic Convention, a resolution passed, calling Hū Honua Bioenergy an environmentally destructive project, with its wood burning plant located on the cliffs above the ocean north of Hilo. The latest Democratic Party messages says, "Given the passage of this resolution and that climate and environmental stewardship are key components of the DPH platform, we urge all environmentally conscious Democrats to submit a letter insisting that a public hearing take place covering the details of previously requested modeling and monitoring data, and that the comment period be extended. The 30-day comment period should commence following the date that modeling and monitoring data is presented to the public and only after any discussion addressing the concerns with the Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply have been completed."

A young barrel racer catches some air. Photo by Manu Yanha

     The Democratic Party states that in Hū Honua's "original permit, the company asserted that discharged wastewater would be gravity-absorbed into three 400-ft.-deep injection wells. However, once the wells were built, they failed testing. Now, Hū Honua is applying for an updated permit to double the depth of the current wells. The updated permit requires a 30-day public comment period. However, neither Hū Honua nor the Department of Health has given the public anything meaningful to on which to comment. No studies of the possible consequences from deepening the wells have been released to the public, though the County Department of Water Supply requested in a March 12, 2019, letter that Hū Honua provide groundwater modeling as well as a monitoring plan for tracking water level and detecting contaminants. To date, Hū Honua has not provided either of these reports.

     "The public comment period is our opportunity to weigh in on the proposed deepening of the wells. However, we do not currently have the information, as was requested by the DWS, that allows us to provide meaningful comments."

Horse leans in for the junior barrel racer. Photo by Manu Yanha

     The Democratic Party asks that all comments be sent to all of the following:

inaba@hawaiidws.org, kokamoto@hawaiidws.org, joanna.seto@doh.hawaii.gov, sdwb@doh.hawaii.gov, bruce.s.
anderson@doh.hawaii.gov, dlnr.cwrm@hawaii.gov, albright.david@epa.gov, Clean
WaterBranch@doh.hawaii.gov;
norris.uehara@doh.hawaii.gov;
darryl.lum@doh.hawaii.gov;
shane.sumida@doh.hawaii.gov; kozelka.peter@epa.gov.
     Hū Honua has changed its name to Honua Ola.

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A POWER SURGE CUT ELECTRICITY TO ABOUT 51,000 HELCO CUSTOMERS across the island at about 10:45 a.m. today. The outage included some 1,600 in Ocean View. It also took out many traffic lights on the island, with no problem for Kaʻū, since there is an absence of traffic signal lights here.

A horse that prances around the barrels. Photo by Manu Yanha

    According to a release from Hawaiʻi Electric Light, faults on two transmission lines along the Hamakua Coast disconnected independent power producer Hamakua Energy from the grid, causing "a sudden loss of generation." Service to most customers was restored by 11:15 a.m. All customers had power restored by about 1:30 p.m.

     "The cause of the line faults is under investigation but it's likely they were caused by wind gusts blowing tree debris onto lines" says the release. HELCO spokesperson Kristen Okinaka said the surge was likely caused by the approaching heavy weather of former Hurricane Barbara.

     The utility urges the community to keep safety top of mind. Steady rain and flooding can uproot trees and break branches, which can fall on power lines and snap utility poles. Always assume that downed power lines are energized and dangerous, and stay at least 30 feet away.

     Report downed lines and power outages to the Trouble Desk at (808) 969-6666. Outage information and updates are posted on Hawai‘i Electric Light's Twitter account @HIElectricLight.

     A Hawaiʻi Police Department report said that a power surge left large portions of Hawaiʻi Island without electricity. HPD urged residents in areas with nonworking traffic signals to drive with extra care and stay away from those roads.

Flooding in a gulch off Lau today. Photo by Michael Worthington

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THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM BARBARA sent heavy rains to Kaʻū today, with rushing waters in streams and gorges. High surf pounded east and south-facing Hawaiʻi Island shores with very strong breaking waves, and strong longshore and rip currents.

     The Flash Flood Watch for Hawaiʻi Island was canceled this evening, as Barbara's remnants are passing south of the island.

     The National Weather Service urges swimmers to "be aware of your swimming abilities; do not enter the water as dangerous currents and breaking waves may be hazardous. When in doubt, don't go out."