• Eyes wide shut • Can’t continue to ignore the obvious • Need for solar hot water Eyes wide shut The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism hired consultant AECOM to write the Big Wind Programmatic Environmental Impact
• Eyes wide shut • Can’t continue to
ignore the obvious • Need for solar hot
water
Eyes wide shut
The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism hired consultant AECOM to write the Big Wind Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
DBEDT received 250 comments from federal, state and local governments and community groups asking for a “hard look” at alternatives as required by federal and state law.
Now DBEDT has proposed exempting AECOM from the State Procurement Law for another $2 million (total of $5.1 million) to look at some but not all reasonable alternatives: Lanai/Molokai wind, and Maui wind/solar/geothermal.
The state Public Utilities Commission is requiring Hawaiian Electric Company to write a request for proposal to cover all renewable energy projects that could meet O‘ahu’s energy needs.
This includes Sempra’s 350 Mw proposal, Big Island geothermal, energy efficiency, load management, and ocean thermal energy conversion.
What is the point of writing an EIS on only some of the proposals?
How can the relative impacts of alternatives be analyzed if some proposals are not studied?
Another example of eyes wide shut.
Henry Curtis, Life of the Land, Honolulu
Can’t continue to ignore the obvious
Kaua‘i attorney/cinematographer, Teresa Tico’s film “Miss South Pacific: Beauty and the Sea” is being screened at the Hawaii International Film Festival. The South Pacific islands of Samoa, Fiji, American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Niue, and Cook Islands are represented by their respective Beauty Queens and they are collectively pleading with viewers to save their island homes from being submerged from climate change-induced seawater levels.
The film documentary shows coconut palm trees that are dying from the rise in sea level due to saltwater intrusion.
Here on beautiful Kaua‘i — at Anahola Beach Park there are coconut palms dying from higher sea levels, also in Hanalei by Waipa. The rise of sea level at Fujii Beach is sadly apparent as well.
Our island community along with elected officials can’t continue to ignore what is apparent — let us collaborate to implement solutions to the obvious looming crisis.
Bonnie Bator, Anahola
Need for solar hot water
The recent discussion and decision by the County Council to allow a variance in the solar water heating law was based, in my view, on inadequate and inaccurate knowledge concerning this public policy decision. Several points should be considered:
First, this variance only applies to new homes.
Second, because of the present economic situation, individuals without economic resources are not building new homes. Those being built are for the higher income group who can afford solar.
Third, a solar water-heating unit can be purchased on the Internet and installed for under $1,500. For creative individuals, a unit can be built from easily available materials for under $500.
This will reduce energy cost for heating water and the savings pay for the unit in 1-2 years providing free hot water in the future.
Finally, solar hot water and solar electricity generation do not produce carbon dioxide (CO2), which is one of the end products of burning coal, gas, oil and other substances.
The most reliable atmospheric CO2 levels are measured on Mauna Loa and this data shows a progressive rise in CO2 to dangerous levels over the recent decades.
About 26 percent of CO2 generated is taken up in the ocean and resulting in acidification of the water and an imbalance in calcium carbonate which is important in the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms.
Research has already found that this change in ocean acidity results in eroding of the coral and decreasing growth of algae, shellfish and other organisms vital to a healthy ocean environment.
If the Hawai‘ian Islands are to maintain a unique place in the world because of their subtropical and ocean environment the people in Hawai‘i must work vigorously toward responsible life styles that protect our islands.
Presently 90 percent of our electricity comes from the combustion of oil with some suggested alternatives being the burning of biomass or biofuels. This must be reduced.
The conversion of all of our homes to use solar hot water makes economic sense and is just one small responsible step toward the reduction in CO2 generation, which will help maintain our oceans.
If the people of Hawai‘i don’t care about protecting our environment, who will?
Douglas Wilmore, Kilauea
