Save Kauai brings together current information about Kauai and web-based tools that allow you to take action. If we want to affect the future of Kauai in a pono way we must organize and begin implementing solutions, not just fighting the problems.
Aloha 'Aina, Imua Kakou!
Here are the Powerpoints from that conference, only slightly different than the one on Kauai last September:
From http://www.hec08.com/followup.html:
PRESENTATIONS & FOLLOW-UP
http://kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/11/25/news/kauai_news/doc492ba602e01...
"First council meeting a little rocky"
By Luke Shanahan - The Garden Island
Published: Tuesday, November 25, 2008
"Councilmember Tim Bynum said he hoped yesterday’s Kauai County Council organizational meeting would reflect the voters’ desire to see change, and that the members would respect one another’s aspirations for committee assignments.
Judging by statements made by several members of the council, and by the reactions of the people looking on from the gallery, Bynum’s hopes were not realized.
After a brief public comment from Kekaha resident Bruce Pleas in which he complained that the caucus meeting should be televised, rather than just being open to the public, the committee got down to the business at hand, determining who would chair the council for the next two years.
First, there was the small matter of appointing the temporary presiding officer of the meeting, or presiding officer pro-tem.
Kaipo Asing was elected to the pro-tem position by a four-to-three vote, with Derek Kawakami, Daryl Kaneshiro, Dickie Chang, and Asing voting in favor, and Jay Furfaro, Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara voting against.
After that, Furfaro, seated at the head of the table, withdrew his nomination for chair, saying that it was evident that the votes for council chair would produce the same four-to-three vote.
http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/10/17/news/kauai_news/doc48f8658...
"Candidates support curbside; split over waste-to-energy"
Council hopefuls talk path, general plan and relationship-building
By Nathan Eagle - The Garden Island October 17, 2008
Kaua‘i County Council candidate Ron Agor said he would spend 30 minutes on the issue of allowing residents to walk their pets on the multi-use path when the matter returns to the agenda sometime during the next council’s two-year term in office.
This was 10 minutes less than candidate Christobel Kealoha said she would commit to the issue, which dogged the current council for months before a compromise was reached to allow a trial period along a specific portion.
Thirteen of the 14 candidates vying for the seven seats up for election Nov. 4 attended a political forum yesterday evening at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center. They responded to a semi-lighthearted question about dogs on the path as well as deeper issues such as solid waste, the general plan and fostering a working relationship between the branches of government.
Most candidates agreed increasing efforts to divert materials from the landfill should happen before the county considers a waste-to-energy facility.
KipuKai “Les” Kuali‘i, a community organizer with union backing, said the estimated $92 million incinerator should be removed from the integrated solid waste management plan and replaced with a materials recovery facility that would sort recyclables and turn them into commodities.
http://www.kedb.com/energyconference.asp
Presented by Kaua`i Economic Development Board in Partnership with the United States Department of Energy, County of Kaua`i Office of Economic Development, and Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative
Monday, October 13, 2008
For all clickable links see: http://alohaanalytics.blogspot.com/2008/10/looking-at-waste-to-energynot...
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste-to-energy
"...Concerns regarding the operation of incinerators include fine particulate, heavy metals, trace dioxin and acid gas emissions, even though these emissions are relatively low[2] from modern incinerators. Other concerns include toxic fly ash and incinerator bottom ash (IBA) management. Discussions regarding waste resource ethics include the opinion that incinerators destroy valuable resources and the belief that they reduce the incentives for recycling and waste minimization activities."
Bernard Carvalho's prepared response regarding Waste to Energy:
"I also believe that there will still be enough waste left to support a WTE plant that will not only increase our landfill diversion by about 80%, but will also provide a form of renewable energy. KIUC recognizes WTE as a part of their preferred renewable portfolio and that can translate into all kinds of benefits for our island. I’ve visited a WTE plant on the mainland and was impressed with how clean it is and how much electricity they produce. Again, I think we need to maximize all components of the plan and implement it as quickly as possible."
JoAnn Yukimura's response regarding Waste to Energy:
http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/05/31/news/news04.txt
Waste plan revisited
by Rachel Gehrlein - THE GARDEN ISLAND
Posted: Friday, May 30, 2008 - 10:40:03 pm HST
The consultant hired by the county to review waste management practices on Kaua‘i sought input from County Council yesterday on a plan the company has been developing since 2005.
Seattle-based firm R.W. Beck revisited key points of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan with the council in a morning workshop.
“The purpose is to get feedback on the plan from the council,” Bob Craggs, vice president and national director of solid waste practice for R.W. Beck, said.
Craggs added that the presentation, which was shown to council members and the community last year, will include comments on the plan from the state Department of Health.
In a letter to the consultants, the DOH said the plan contained all components required by the statute and encouraged the county to maximize waste reduction and recycling to the extent possible. The DOH added that they would like to see the waste-to-energy costs beyond the five-year planning period.
“Overall, the plan submitted to date has met all statutory requirements,” Craggs said.
The most interesting thing to Councilmember Jay Furfaro in the plan is the possibility of the materials recovery facility, he said.
“I see all the parts here,” Furfaro said. “The thing that interests me most is the MRF — it’s really important to get this thing going.”
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2008/05/08/local_news/local...
Incinerator plan turns to ash
Thursday, May 8, 2008 9:53 AM HST
Council: Wheelabrator's plan proved just too costly for the Big Island
by Jason Armstrong
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
A proposed $125.5 million Hilo waste-to-energy plant is too expensive, the County Council decided Wednesday in voting 5-4 against pursuing the matter further.
Lawmakers deliberated for more than two hours before deciding not to hire Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. to design, build, run and maintain an incinerator under a 20-year contract, with a five-year extension option.
Tentative approval would have given the New Hampshire-based company six months to finalize its price and nine months to study the plant's environmental and other impacts. The council could have turned down the contract at either juncture without paying Wheelabrator any money.
"All I'm asking here members of the council is let us follow and continue the process," Mayor Harry Kim told lawmakers during their meeting in Keauhou. "See what the final price is."
He even offered to create a "watchdog" group of Hilo community members, environmentalists and recycling experts to scrutinize the contract process.
But most council members said they'd seen enough and want the county to pursue other options for disposing of East Hawaii's trash once the Hilo landfill fills up in about four years.
Mayor Kim 'not ready to give up' incinerator plan
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2008/04/23/local_news/local...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:24 AM HST
by Bret Yager
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
Mayor Harry Kim's administration will continue to fight for Wheelabrator.
Despite a 6-3 vote by the County Council, meeting as the finance committee, against the $125 million waste-to-energy proposal Monday evening, Kim "really believes this is a positive way to dispose of our rubbish," said county Managing Director Dixie Kaetsu. She said Kim will work to convince dissenting council members between now and the May 7 council vote that will likely decide the proposal's fate for good.
"We're not ready to give up," Kaetsu said. "I spoke to the mayor this morning. He's disappointed in the vote, but he said between now and May 7 we need to address the concern over cost, how we're going to finance it and any other concerns the council may have."
Kim was off-island Tuesday. At least two dissenting council members must be convinced to change their vote if the proposal is to advance. Kaetsu maintained the mayor's line that the proposal deserves a chance to move to the next level before the county opts out.
"The best way to move ahead is with a contract," she said. "Once that's signed, Wheelabrator has six months to come up with the final cost of the project. The county is not at risk at all by proceeding."
To learn more about the problems with Waste-to-Energy and alternatives, Click here
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2008/04/02/local_news/local...
Burn trash, make cash, companies promise
Wednesday, April 2, 2008 9:40 AM HST
Incinerator proposals emerge, perhaps lured by county's consideration of $125 million proposal
by Jason Armstrong
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
Hawaii County's serious consideration of a $125.5 million waste-to-energy plant in Hilo has attracted interest from other companies claiming they have cheaper and greener ways of processing East Hawaii's rubbish.
"Yeah, there are people who have been kind of calling around saying they have the silver bullet and want to make a presentation," Mike Dworsky, head of the county's Solid Waste Division, said Tuesday.
Nearly all have pitched some form of burn technology, he said, noting former Mayor Dante Carpenter and a group proposing an incinerator were to receive an audience later Tuesday.
A company promoting curbside recycling visited with county officials Monday, Dworsky said.
After spending $1.2 million selecting Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. of New Hampshire for a potential contract to process garbage once the Hilo landfill becomes full, the county is faced with either hiring them or restarting the recruiting process, he said.
