Mayor Vetoes Geothermal Bills

By PETER SUR
Tribune-Herald staff writer

A pair of bills relating to geothermal energy have died on Mayor Billy Kenoi’s desk, unless the County Council can engineer an override of the veto. Both bills generated tremendous public testimony prior to their passage by the County Council last month. Kenoi’s veto messages described both as unnecessary legislation.

One bill would have required the county Civil Defense Agency to prepare an emergency response and evacuation plan for geothermal facilities and to submit it to the County Council for approval by Aug. 1. The bill is aimed at people living near Puna Geothermal Venture. The bill would have allowed the administration to ask for a 90-day extension to write the plan.

Kenoi’s veto message for the Civil Defense bill states that first responders already have a plan for all emergency situations, including geothermal, based on the Federal Emergency Management Agency-developed incident command system.

“Since effective plans are already in place, there is no need for a new plan,” Kenoi wrote.
Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, who introduced both bills, said he was disappointed with the mayor’s action.

“In my estimation, that’s playing politics with people’s lives,” he said.

Councilwoman Brenda Ford said residents of lower Puna should have an idea of what to do in the event of a geothermal mishap.

“The community needs a plan on what to do, and they need guidance from the county on how to respond to a disaster,” he said. “You know, Plan A, Plan B, Plan C. That has not occurred, and I am supportive of that type of community evacuation plan being designed by the county and delivered to all the residents so that they know what to do.”

Ford said the county uses its incident command system “beautifully,” but “the average citizen hasn’t a clue what to do.”

A community evacuation plan would help in that situation, she said.

The other vetoed bill, which would affect people in lower Puna, would have renamed the Geothermal Relocation and Community Benefits Program to the Geothermal Relocation and Public Safety Program, although it’s popularly known as the “geothermal royalties” fund.

This bill would have redirected money from the community benefits program into uses that relate to public health and safety, including air quality monitoring and a public notification system. It would also have made eligible for relocation all homes within a mile of Puna Geothermal Venture.

“The thought that the county would not let us use money to determine what is making these people ill is the most egregious, lack of concern and compassion I have ever heard of,” Ford said. “These people are not making up these illnesses.

“Now, I do not know what is causing it,” Ford said. “They’ve got problems and nobody’s looking at it. … They’ve got very unusual illnesses.

Kenoi’s message to the council says the bill duplicates the purpose of the $2.1 million Geothermal Asset Fund, which is dedicated to funding public health and safety mitigation measures.

Kenoi also wrote that a “significant number” of people who have seen community benefits from PGV would like to see those benefits continue. But Ford said there were “far more people” who supported the bill than opposed it. She pegged the number of supporters at 60 to 70 percent of those who testified.

Kenoi wrote that the bill would result in lower tax revenues for Hawaii County by acquiring and holding homes from people who wish to be relocated, and liability issues that would arise from those vacant homes.

“It would be irresponsible for me to sign (the bill) into law due to its legal and technical flaws and because it is unnecessary,” Kenoi wrote.
But his critics think otherwise.

“Is he saying that health studies are inappropriate? Is he saying that the people of Puna are making these stories up?” Yagong asked.

Kenoi said that’s not the issue.

“The goals of protecting public health, safety and doing a thorough, comprehensive health study, we can already achieve through existing legislation and authority,” he said, and said the county was going to conduct a “thorough, open, transparent and community-involved study with health care professionals, independent researchers who have already inquired. … We’ll go to the community to address those goals.”

“We don’t believe this legislation is based on good science, good authority,” Kenoi wrote. “There’s too much ambiguity, and the first hurdle in signing any piece of legislation is a good law. And unfortunately this legislation has too many flaws.”

The County Council approved the evacuation plan bill by a 7-2 vote and the relocation and public safety bill by a 6-3 vote. Yagong has not indicated whether he would call for a veto override.

Email Peter Sur at psur@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

Source: Hawaii Tribune Hearld

Volcano Watch: Can Geothermal Energy Development be Balanced with Volcanic Hazards in Hawaii?

(Volcano Watch is a weekly article written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.)

Puna Geothermal Venture. Hawaii 24/7 File Photo

For decades, the State of Hawaii has been trying to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Energy from Hawai`i geothermal resources is but one of several alternate energy sources that have been explored.

In Hawai`i, geothermal resources depend on volcanic heat. Magma, stored in rift zones, heats groundwater which can be tapped by drilling. It is then pumped to the surface where its heat is extracted to drive electrical generators.

It makes sense that the most attractive geothermal target in the State of Hawaii is also the most active volcano—Kilauea. The nearly continuous supply of magma to Kilauea pumps heat into the geothermal resource, but it also fuels eruptions that could threaten structures on the volcano.

To make clear where future lava flows are most likely, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists published Lava-Flow Hazard Zone Maps as early as 1974, designating the summits and rift zones of Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes as the most hazardous. For Kilauea, the summit and rift zones of the volcano also have the highest geothermal potential, so the Lava-Flow Hazard Map closely resembles the geothermal resource map.

Geothermal resources definitely exist on Kilauea, as established by the HGP-A pilot project in the 1970s. The Puna Geothermal Venture commercial power facility has produced 30 Megawatts (MW) from Kilauea’s heat, 20 percent of the annual electrical usage of the Island of Hawai`i, since 1993.

The most recent study in 2005 suggests that the potential of the Kilauea resource, excluding areas within national parks and state reserves, could be between 250 and 600 MW. Development of geothermal resources may also be possible on volcanoes with less frequent eruptions than Kilauea, such as Hualalai, Haleakala, or Mauna Kea.

If a resource of this size exists and is fully developed, the power generated from it would far exceed the need for electricity on the Island of Hawai`i. Therefore, the State of Hawaii is proposing the use of an undersea cable to link the islands between Hawai`i, the potential major energy producer, and O`ahu, the major energy consumer.

But what about the risk posed by volcanic eruptions? In a 1994 USGS publication (pubs.usgs.gov/of/1994/0553/rep…, HVO scientists estimated a high probability of eruptions from Kilauea’s lower east rift zone within any 50-year period. The publication also found a significant likelihood of lava inundation along the cable pathways linking the proposed Kilauea geothermal developments to the Honolulu energy grid, because the cable would have to pass across the northeast flank of Mauna Loa, Hawai`i’s other very active volcano.

These threats are real. In the last 200 years, eruptions have occurred three times in the lower east rift zone of Kilauea and six times on the northeast flank of Mauna Loa. The possibility of an eruption in the geothermal resource or state-wide cable path within any 50-year period is between 60 and 90 percent.

The effect of an eruption within a geothermal power development could be severe, and the site could be deeply buried by lava.

The power generated by the geothermal facility would be lost—possibly for weeks, months, or even years. The 1840, 1955, and 1960 eruptions in lower Puna continued for weeks to months. Power generation and transmission could not resume until after the eruption ceased, and it was safe to re-enter the area and re-establish the facilities and the cables carrying electricity away from the site.

With enough lead time before the eruption, however, much of the power-generation equipment might be moved offsite and saved for future use.

The effects of an eruption would be more profound as the geothermal power development increased in size. If a 500-MW power generation facility were developed within the lower east rift zone of Kilauea and power exported to O`ahu and Maui, a volcanic disruption would have state-wide effects.

As a community, we should explore all options in our quest for inexpensive, reliable electricity. There are down sides to the utilization of any energy source, and we must balance the negatives with the positives when making choices. This includes balancing the considerable benefits of geothermal resource development with the inherent volcanic risk of such development on active volcanoes.

Abercrombie: Big Island to 'Lead the Way'

Hawaii Governor - Neil Abercrombie

By TOM CALLIS
Updated: 12:06 am - June 26, 2012
Tribune-Herald staff writer

The future of the state will depend much on the Big Island, particularly with its development of energy and agriculture, Gov. Neil Abercrombie told business leaders in Hilo on Monday.

During the speech to about 130 Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce members at the Hilo Yacht club, the governor laid out a confident outlook on the state’s future, and hinted at another speech to come later this week that he said is going to be “very, very positive” about Hawaii’s fiscal position.

Saturday marks the end of his first full fiscal year while in office.

“In a few days time I think you are going to be very well pleased,” said Abercrombie, who didn’t offer any details.

But Abercrombie, who turns 74 today, also assured the businessmen and women that the island will not be on the periphery when it comes to the state’s future.

“The Big Island is going to lead the way … in setting the direction of the state,” he said.

Abercrombie said it has “endless possibilities” in regards to providing energy to the rest of Hawaii, adding that the big issue in Honolulu is how to “deliver it to the rest of the islands.”

He didn’t mention geothermal power, considered a key part of the state’s energy future.

Talk of expansion of geothermal production has recently caused a resurgence in opposition to the power source in Puna, which hosts the state’s only geothermal plant.

The state Legislature this last session developed the regulatory framework for the creation of an underwater power cable that would connect the islands, if a private developer decides to take it on.

The idea is that the cable would allow the islands to share cheap, reliable geothermal power, as well as other renewable sources, and lower the costs of energy production.

Abercrombie received applause when he mentioned his support for adding a fourth state senate seat to the island.

The addition was the result of a 25 percent population growth on the island between 2000 and 2010.

“I supported it because it was the right thing to do,” he said.

Abercrombie also said the island is “right in the center and key of it” when it comes to agriculture.

He noted the cattle industry in particular, adding that the state will come out with an agriculture plan in January.

Abercrombie also spoke of the island’s military presence, saying the state should host more troops serving the Pacific region.

“We have to be ahead of the curve,” he said, noting the transition of troops out of Okinawa, Japan.

“We have the training capacity for 21st century marines and army in Pohakuloa.”

He ended his speech by telling the chamber, “I think we’re on our way to a new day in Hawaii and on the Big Island in particular.”

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

Pohoiki and Kalapana Community Planning Meeting

All residents from Kalapana to Pohoiki are invited to meet July 22, 2-4pm at Uncle Robert’s in Kalapana.
The meeting will introduce a survey to collect the viewpoints of all residents.
Kalapana-Pohoiki Neighborhoods Organization (KAPONO)

Kalapana to Pohoiki Community Input Survey
Presented by the Steering hui of the Kalapana-Pohoiki Neighborhoods Organization (KAPONO).

NOTE: The survey is directed to only those that own or rent along 137 between Kalapana to Pohoiki.

KAPONO Mission Statement: KAPONO is a community-directed organization that welcomes community members from Kalapana to Pohoiki to join together with local government, businesses, organizations, and individuals for the protection and enhancement of the health, heritage and safety of our communities: our homes, our ‘ohana, and our lifestyles.

Goal of Survey – Development of a Long Range Community Plan that gives us a voice in our future

KAPONO first meeting was in July 2011 and now after a year of meetings and hard work, we are organized and excited to present a Community Input Survey. Much of the survey elements are taken from the Puna Community Development Plan** (PCDP), to gain input as to what is important to our community and also guide the priority of implementation.

All responses will be tabulated and presented at a community meeting at the end of September.

Please come and meet July 22, 2-4pm at Uncle Robert’s in Kalapana. — Richard Koob

Source: PUNA NEWS: Big Island Chronicle

Relocation Requests Rise

By TOM CALLIS – Hawaii Tribune Herald 06/10/2012

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Hawaii County has spent $646,407 purchasing homes near Puna’s geothermal power plant, but that number could soon be about to rise.

Joaquin Gamiao, planning administrative officer, said the department is processing seven relocation requests that could end up increasing that amount by about 55 percent.

“We’re out about $1 million,” he said, if all are approved.

The requests have all been submitted in the past month, Gamiao said, after the geothermal issue once again took center stage with the County Council.

The money comes from the county’s geothermal royalty fund, which now has about $3.3 million, according to the Finance Department.

It is funded with the county’s share of royalties from Puna Geothermal Venture. The amount the county receives varies based on production levels, but has hovered recently around $500,000 a year, Gamiao said.

To date, the county has approved five relocations with the latest acquired April 5, according to records provided by the Planning Department.

County staff previously said eight homes were acquired, but some of those were duplicates or had their applications withdrawn.

The homes cost between $60,770 and $237,380 to acquire.

The average property has cost the county $129,281 to purchase.

All were purchased at 130 percent of their value, Gamiao said, as allowed by county policy. They were also located within a mile from the plant, Gamiao said.

The county has auctioned four of those properties to date, for a total amount of $216,100.

The county would be prohibited from auctioning properties acquired through the relocation program under a bill being considered by the County Council.

Gamiao said that would not impact the purchase of the seven properties under consideration. The Planning Department is not delaying processing the requests until the bill has its final vote, likely June 19.

“We’re doing what we need to do know,” he said.

County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong introduced the bill with the intent of creating a one-mile buffer zone.

The fund was established in 1998. Previously, the county’s royalty funds were accruing interest but not being used, Gamiao said.

In 2008, the County Council amended the policy to allow the funds to be used on capital projects and other services for Lower Puna.

Yagong’s bill would also amend the fund to only allow the monies to be spent on relocations as well as air quality and health studies near the plant and provide other means for ensuring safety, such as air monitors for residents.

Yagong said he thinks the fund is receiving enough revenue to cover at least some of those items if relocation requests continue.

“The fact of the matter is we have money that is available and of course we should use the money to do what we can to help the people there,” he said. “That fund will continue to grow.”

Some Puna residents have voiced concern over ending funding for services for the district.

The royalty fund currently covers the Pahoa council office as well as security for at Isaac Hale Beach Park and Pahoa Community Center.

Yagong said he is working on a third geothermal bill that would allow another geothermal fund to cover such expenses.

The second fund, known as the geothermal asset fund, was established in 1989 to reimburse nearby residents adversely affected by the plant.

It has $2.1 million, according to the Finance Department.

Gamioa said it is funded with a $50,000 annual contribution from PGV. There’s no record of it ever being used, he said.

Yagong said the bill, which will likely be introduced July 2, would also create a commission to recommend what projects should be funded.

The commission would consist of five Puna residents appointed by the mayor and County Council.

“We’re putting the asset fund into the hands of the community,” he said.

Yagong said the bill would limit expenditures from the fund to $350,000 a year.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

Harry Kim to File for Mayor

By Dave Smith - June 4, 2012
Source: Big Island Now


Former two-term mayor Harry Kim today took out nomination papers to run for the chief executive position on the Big Island.

Kim told Big Island Now this afternoon that he will definitely file to run for mayor tomorrow, which is the election deadline for the Aug. 11 primary election.

Kim’s candidacy adds a significant twist to the mayor’s race where he will become the 10th candidate, according to Friday’s report from the state elections office.

Those with the highest profiles, incumbent Mayor Billy Kenoi and County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Kim, 72, served as mayor from 2000-2008 after a 24-year stint as director of the county’s Civil Defense Agency. He was prevented by term limits from running for re-election immediately after that.

Kim knows his chief opponents well.

Yagong ran against him for mayor in the 2004 nonpartisan primary where he received 26% of the vote to Kim’s 62%. Kim has known Kenoi for many years and coached him as a player on the Waiakea High School football team. Kenoi also served as an executive assistant in the last six years of Kim’s administration.

Kim said he didn’t have qualms with either candidate who he said have a “different style of management” from him. Kim had endorsed Kenoi’s bid for mayor in 2008.

Kim said today that his return to politics was largely driven by actions that occurred during the past session at the state Legislature dealing with geothermal development.

He said he was disheartened by the easing of restrictions for those activities including the removal of the requirement for subzones for geothermal development.

But what prompted him into direct action, Kim said, was a request from DLNR Director William Aila Jr. to the state Environmental Council. Aila had asked the panel to exempt exploratory geothermal drilling from the state law that mandates the preparation of an environmental assessment or the more rigorous environmental impact statement.

Kim said he was dumbfounded when a committee of the council voted almost unanimously to recommend approval of Aila’s request.

“I couldn’t believe (the committee) did this,” Kim said. “I said, nah, they wouldn’t do that.”

After being urged to intervene by Gary Hooser, head of the state Office of Environmental Qualify Control, Kim spent four days researching the matter and preparing testimony.

After Kim appeared in person before the full Environmental Council in Honolulu, its members reversed the committee’s recommendation and voted to deny the change Aila had requested.

After that, “I really started thinking about geothermal, safety and health in government,” he said. “How could they do this?”

Kim said he also wondered how, if the exemption stood, government could justify requiring environmental studies for other types of projects.

Kim said his jaw dropped when he heard Aila say drilling for geothermal is comparable to drilling for water.

“I realize that some people truly think that geothermal is harmless,” he said. “I would think people in authority should do some research.”

Kim said he decided to re-enter politics to make sure geothermal and other development “is done right.”

“I realized that it’s not just about geothermal, it’s about faith in government,” he said.

Kim said another subject he is concerned about is solid waste. He said he has never been a proponent of landfills anywhere in Hawaii, and believes the solution is a plant like Oahu’s H-Power where garbage is burned to generate electricity.

He acknowledged that the waste-to-energy facility considered during his second term carried a steep price tag of $125 million, but feels that it’s the government’s duty to find a way to do it affordably.

He said he was also opposed to the County Charter amendment that set aside 2% of county revenues to purchase land to be preserved as open space, partly because it didn’t include funding for maintenance of those lands.

“That’s not a good way to spend public money,” he said, adding that such funding should be found elsewhere.

In the area of public funding, Kim will likely be subjected to questions about his administration’s practice of increasing the size of government during flush times, when soaring property values inflated county coffers.

During Kim’s eight years in office, the county’s operating budget more than doubled to more than $400 million. That included a tax increase of nearly 25% for homeowners sought by Kim and approved by the council for the 2002-03 fiscal year.

Kim said today he will run a campaign similar to his other two, in which he describes himself as an “applicant” for the mayor’s job.

While he has relatively little time for fundraising, that also includes continuing his policy of not taking any campaign donations greater than $10. Kim said no amount of advertising he could purchase would overshadow public perception of his years of public service.

“I worked for the people here for more than 40 years, and by now they should know me and my methods,” he said.

Kim acknowledged that his health could be an issue in the campaign, as he suffered two heart attacks in his final year in office.

“My health at this point is good,” he said, while acknowledging that he is currently undergoing additional cardiac testing.

He also admitted that because of the health issues his family did not want him to run, but supports his decision to do so.

County Council Must Address Community Impact from Geothermal

James Weatherford

The Hawaiʻi County Council is considering legislation to redirect the county's share of geothermal royalty funds back to their original purpose - addressing community impacts from geothermal development.

James Weatherford, candidate for Hawaiʻi County Council District 4, fully supports this initiative and says Bill 256-12 must be passed.

“This is not about being 'pro' or 'anti' geothermal. This is about responsible government being responsive to community concerns," Weatherford said in a statement released by his campaign today.

"The incumbent from Puna has had a year-and-a-half to address the concerns of the community in the vicinity of the geothermal plant," Weatherford added. "Instead of responding to and addressing his constituents' concerns regarding impacts of geothermal in the community, he has been spending geothermal funds for other purposes. Instead of draining the geothermal royalty fund, I will bring Puna taxpayers’ money back to Puna by doing the work required through the budget process to get capital improvement projects for the district.”

Bill 256-12, introduced by Council Chair and Mayoral Candidate Dominic Yagong, will provide an opportunity for residents now living within one mile of the Puna Geothermal Venture facility to be relocated, and would prevent those properties from being reinhabited via resale or rental. This will start to create a buffer around PGV, where as now, some residents live right next to the geothermal power plant.

In addition to relocation, Bill 256-12 also promotes public health and safety by providing expenditures on health studies, air quality monitoring and real-time public notification of emissions.

Mandated emergency evacuation preparedness is also being considered by the council in a separate measure.

On May 16th, the legislation received a favorable recommendation from the Council’s Agriculture, Water, and Energy Sustainability Committee. Scheduled for June 6th is the first of two more votes needed before being sent to the Mayor for signing into law or veto.

Submitted by the campaign of James Weatherford for Puna Council District #4
More on the web: www.jamesweatherford.com

Source: Hawaii Reporter

Puna geothermal plant to hold evacuation drills this summer

By TOM CALLIS
Source: Tribune-Herald staff writer
tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com

HILO — Hawaii County is planning its first evacuation drill for a disaster at Puna’s nearly two-decades old geothermal power plant.

Planning for the exercise is still in its early stages, but Benedict Fuata, the Big Island’s civil defense coordinator, said he is aiming to hold a three-day drill in mid-July.

It will be the first drill since the plant, now operating at 38 megawatts, went online in 1993. It will also act as a test of the county’s first geothermal evacuation plan, now being drafted.

Fuata said the county is acting in response to the outcry from dozens of Puna residents concerned that there isn’t enough health and safety protections in place. Those anxieties have resurfaced in the wake of Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s recent efforts to expand geothermal operations on the Big Island by up to 50 megawatts.

“I was mandated by Mayor [Billy] Kenoi to get to the bottom of this,” he said. “He has concerns and I have concerns.”

Fuata said he expects homes to be evacuated as part of the exercise but the scope of the drill hasn’t been determined. The plant, operated by Puna Geothermal Venture, sits in a largely residential area in Pahoa. County Planning Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd estimated last week that between 87 and 140 homes are located within a mile of the plant.

During recent Hawaii County Council meetings, neighbors of the plant recalled having to flee their homes in 1991 during a well blowout, which released steam created by volcanic activity into the air. Some have claimed adverse health effects as a result.

Fuata, who became civil defense coordinator in March, said part of his job is to investigate those claims to understand the public’s risk. “I’m in fact-finding mode right now,” he said.

The steam, used to create electricity, carries harmful toxins, the worst being hydrogen sulfide. The plant operates with a closed system, meaning no steam is released unless there is a problem. PGV has its own community evacuation plan in place, but it is unclear why it hasn’t been tested since the blowout or why the county hadn’t developed its own plan before.

Fuata refereed to the company’s plan as “general” and said he thinks a more detailed and coordinated effort is needed. Both Kenoi and County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, who is challenging Kenoi in this year’s mayoral race, said it’s time for the county to do more to address the issue. Kenoi said the county needs to be prepared for any disaster, whether a tsunami, hurricane, or geothermal related. “Every time you go through a drill you learn something,” he said. “You become better, you become more prepared.”

Yagong said he also has been discussing the need for a county plan with Fuata over the last few weeks. He plans to introduce a bill June 6 that would also require an evacuation plan to be developed for current and future geothermal operations. Yagong gave praise during a phone interview Saturday to Puna residents who have brought their concerns to light. “People have expressed their outrage and that has moved government to action,” he said.

The plant has had six air emission violations. Detected levels of hydrogen sulfide were not considered harmful, according to the state Department of Health, which doesn’t consider the plant to be a threat to public health.