LIHUE — A move to amend the Interim Inflow Stream Standard for the Waikoko and North Fork Wailua streams by State of Hawaii Commission on Water Resources Management Tuesday has been delayed due to a request for a contested-case hearing filed by Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.
LIHUE — A move to amend the Interim Inflow Stream Standard for the Waikoko and North Fork Wailua streams by State of Hawaii Commission on Water Resources Management Tuesday has been delayed due to a request for a contested-case hearing filed by Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.
Noting that amendments to the staff recommendation were being proposed without adequate research or data to support potential impacts, KIUC’s general counsel Laurel Loo requested a contested case about 5:45 p.m., after nearly eight hours of public testimony and deliberations.
“We don’t feel it’s prudent to act upon these amendments without sufficient data,” Loo said.
“KIUC had stated during the meeting that we did not oppose the staff recommendation,” stated KIUC’s President and Chief Executive Officer David Bissell. “There is no way to evaluate the ramifications of the last-minute amendments being proposed without further data and study. Although we were hopeful for a decision today, we felt we had no choice but to compel further discussion and evaluation.”
Among the factors of concern to KIUC is the impact the IISS will have on its commitment to provide reliable, clean energy at the lowest possible cost to its members-owners. “Lowering the amount of diverted water decreases productivity at the Waiahi hydro plants. We have to make up that loss with other sources of power, all of which are two to three times more expensive than the cost of generation from the Waiahi hydros,” Bissell stated.
“We realize that the commission has a difficult decision to make. We will continue to work with the commissioners and staff so that they can find a reasonable balance and come to the best possible conclusion,” said Bissell.
mAhalo to all the warrior Especially who submitted verbal testimony with evidence that is truth and nothing but the truth; however, These folks do not want to hear much less fess up on the continued “standards” set by all the corporates and their stakeholders that continue to engage with educated and researched feedback that has the commission and other attendees whop jawed. The time is now, we havent forgotten anything and we will continue to persue all that is illegal or borders on stretching the limits to benefit their agenda, where We the People are constantly dismissed or cut off while in testimony, which is the confusion tactic used, when the corporates are done listening to facts not the fables that they manufacture. When have any of the stakeholders done anything beneficial for the community? Coop? Right, no resemblance to a true cooperative. What is necessary without whining is Mandatory changing corporate business models to benefit employees and the implementation of a corporate “arm” for the Kauai community. ALL corporates becoming profit-sharing is the new business model, or the other option is that your corporate, nonprofit corporate, LLC, Foundations across the board will not be able to survive in this place unless you are willing to work with us, NOT against us as has happened. The Longest war in world history continues, Warring U.S. with the Hawaiian Kingdom. A corruption committee is mandatory for each county, new birth certificate and citizenship options says it is not mandatory to be a u.s. citizen, and land “owners” have monopolized what is not theirs, and the mormons alongside religious organizations like catholicism should be spanked and dismissed from the spiritual realm of Who is God. It is time to go to confession and ask the priest if he is on his spiritual oath, as we must also ask kauai judiciary if he is on their oath, and EXplanation of what the judicial Oath means.
Did The Garden Island simply print a KIUC press release? In nearly 8 1/2 hours of testimony, surely there must have been competing arguments that compelled some of the Commissioners to question why KIUC must have 2/3 of the water coming down the Waikoko and Wai`ale`ale streams.
What did KIUC do with its profits, spend it or reinvest in renewable energy like solar or wind power generation and not depend on water generation which is also required for other uses like agriculture and food production including free flowing streams to ensure native acquadic life does not go extinct.
It is just bad management on part of KIUC to remain in status quo and not plan for a changing environment.
This whole island could be powered by the water that used to go to growing cane. Oil and renewable energy companies make up stories of lost water and fishes. I remember the pictures of dry waterfalls in the paper the last time hydropower was researched..
@Debra Kekaualua so you saying that “educated and researched feedback” should be dismissed just because it’s from “all the corporates and their stakeholders”? So the commissioners should listen to uneducated and non researched feedback? Maybe KIUC should take drama classes at KCC to learn how to cry in front the commissioners. Should work yeah?
@Kip Goodwin I think so. Hopefully they were compelled by educated and researched feedback. Maybe they questioning if 2/3 are not enough for the people actually serving the public. Who is that? KIUC hydros saving rate payers $1M+ and they planning to improve efficiency. The drinking water plant makes drinking water out of reservoir water for thousands of people. “They stealing and selling the water!” Oh please. You think supposed to be free? Is the water plant powered by the Aloha spirit and namaste rainbows? No. It costs money. No education and research needed here Aunty Debs. That tubing company has over a hundred local employees and they are BUSY! Think they pay any taxes? Yes. Yes they do. I wasn’t jumping on the corporation hater Volkswagen. And no forget about the real farmers working for a living and providing for the island. Lets take all that away so people don’t cry when they go hiking and can see rocks in the stream.
@Harry Oyama when was the last time KIUC raised rates, like 10 years ago? So…they can keep rates the same, increase renewable energy, reduces burning fuel, employ hundreds of people, send members a refund check at the end of the year and they even supported putting 1/3 of the water back in the stream? You’re right…bad management. “Educated and researched feedback” Thanks Aunty Debs. I like that phrase. Oh yeah and they probably pay taxes too.
@Lumahai Mike maybe they could but that would be one huge project. Solar seems pretty good and you can imagine how hard would be to get more water? They getting crap for trying to put water back in the stream. Give one manini…they take one ulua.
If that Volkswagen is parked by the stream this weekend, aloha oe bra. Peace, love and watah!