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County Council/geothermal - jerry - 07-30-2012
Wednesday's County Council meeting is going to consider the override of the Mayor's veto of Bill 256. Copied below is a not I received from people in support of the Mayor's veto.
Dear Friends,
It has been a busy time for all of us in preparation of the final push to up-hold the Mayor’s Veto of Bill 256. This is where we really need your help.
1. For your information: We had a very good meeting and turn-out on Tuesday night at the Leilani Community Center: http://hahaha.hamakuasprings.com/2012/07/very-successful-meeting-on-geothermal-facts.html.
2. The county council meeting to override the mayoral veto is scheduled for Wednesday, August 1, 2012. This is where we need as much help as possible.
You can submit written testimony by e-mail up until the day prior to the meeting (it has to be received by Tuesday noon, July 31). Please submit your email testimony to counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
To submit written testimony by e-mail, you can also e-mail each council member individually:
Dominic Yagong - dyagong@co.hawaii.hi.us
Donald Ikeda – dikeda@co.hawaii.hi.us
J Yoshimoto – jyoshimoto@co.hawaii.hi.us
Dennis “Fresh” Onishi – donishi@co.hawaii.hi.us
Fred Blas – fblas@co.hawaii.hi.us
Brittany Smart – bsmart@co.hawaii.hi.us
Brenda Ford – bford@co.hawaii.hi.us
Angel Pilago – apilago@co.hawaii.hi.us
Pete Hoffmann – phoffmann@co.hawaii.hi.us
But what we really would like is for as many people as possible to come to the county council meeting in Hilo on August 1, to testify in person and to show our strength in numbers. The council needs to see that we are not just a silent small group, but that there are many of us. It makes a difference, even if you are able to come for an hour.
When you come to the council meeting, you can read the testimony you submitted by email. If you have not emailed the testimony, they ask that you bring 14 copies of it and give it to the clerk that day.
The council meeting starts at 8am. Please be early, so we can have good seats and testify early.
When you come to the council meeting room, check in with us at the VETO SUPPORTERS & LEILANI ESTATES signs – look for signs.
Contents of your testimony – some suggestions:
The Mayor asked that we get employees and nearby residents to come out and support his veto, with the primary emphasis that there are no health issues that exist, and that the plant has been operating safely, hence no reason for a buffer zone. While we hope the veto will not be overridden, there is still a need for publicizing the fact that long time residents are opposed to the bill for these reasons, and the fact that this is an issue which has been unnecessarily politicized.
As for what to say, we are not going to write this out, since everyone's experience is different, but this would be along the lines of their positions on certain issues such as
1. Where their residence is.
2. How long they have lived there.
3. The fact that they have not had health problems they attribute to the plant, and there is no scientific or medical information which supports the creation of a one mile buffer.
4. That creating a health and safety buffer radius of one mile is unjustified, and creates issues for people who have chosen to live and work in this radius, including concerns about property values.
5. That this bill will create additional cost for the county in many areas.
6. That health studies and monitors can be purchased with Asset Fund money without taking from community benefits, under the code and rules which already existed, before Bill 256 and 257.
7. That until these hearings were held and the manner in which they were held, people did not complain about PGV, and politics and misinformation has created an unwarranted concern.
These are just suggested issues or concerns the vetoed bills raise, and others may have more to say or add.
3. Please, share this information and request for support with all your friends and people in your networks.
Jerry
Art and Orchids B&B
http://www.artandorchids.com
RE: County Council/geothermal - opihikao - 07-31-2012
Mahalo, jerry for this information. Seems like the Mayor is trying to help counter the anti geothermal group(s)that fill up each council meeting, testifying ad nauseum.
After months of this renewed geothermal discussion, wonder why the people claiming to be sick waited all these years? Where is the proof their illness comes from the plant? Where are the "formal" health complaints on record (my understanding is there are none in recent years)?
Unfortunately, the basis for these two (2) bills were not based on factual information, although the intent may have been good.
Or, is it all political? (Rhetoric question. Rolling my eyes.)
At one of the meetings in Pahoa, a man said to us, "You Hawaiians are doing this wrong! You should sue them like we did!" In fact, his testimony to the council included the same statement.
Guess the "millions" in settlements works for some people.
Interesting. Thank you again, jerry.
RE: County Council/geothermal - Jay Bondesen - 07-31-2012
Thanks for the post jerry. I never thought that the legislation would get past the two readings in the Council chambers and yet here we are after dozens of posts on several blogs still trying to reach a rational outcome. The anti-geothermal group, using carefully selected quotes and antidotal comments, is driving the issue with fear. They feel that they can do fine, in their little community anyway, with a combination of old technology and dreams. The goal for them here is to throw stones at PGV, not concerning themselves with the likely repercussions should the veto be overridden.
Jay
RE: County Council/geothermal - opihikao - 07-31-2012
Agree with you, Mr. B. Yagong knew it would be vetoed by the Mayor, (no brainer) it was a purely political move. Just my opinion.
At least he got alot of new sign wavers out for him in his quest for the Mayor's seat.
Such a waste of taxpayer money (again) at this point with the hours and hours spent at Council meetings. Get to the facts of this issue, as geothermal is here, and more coming whether we like it or not. Let's make sure the host community is heard in it's entirety. Over 40,000 residents in Puna, and those who have not expressed their concerns (either way) must do so now.
A few hundred people riled up do not speak for the entire population who will be affected. Especially when there's no hard proof that health issues are caused by the plant.
Kudos to the residents of Leilani Estates for stepping up. Hopefully, the State will get involved, and the federal government, especially when funding is part of the process (again, our tax dollars).
I cannot wait for this election to be over. Ugh!
RE: County Council/geothermal - JerryCarr - 07-31-2012
It will be important to see how Fred Blas votes on this important issue. There is a loud minority with Luddite inclinations who want to see geothermal studied to death at best, and done away with at worst. I find it amazing that after 20+ years in the most litigious society on earth, no one has managed to successfully sue for medical damages. Why is that? Could there be no proof? Yet we still hear people blaming every imaginable malady on geothermal. Council Candidate James Weatherford has cagily posted some discussion about geothermal here on Punaweb, but tries not to answer direct questions on the subject. When I asked him directly at the HPP candidate forum, he responded in oblique terms about "safety is foremost," but couldn't offer any verifiable evidence of harm. I think his position is "study it to death," but he spoke like a typical politician hedging his bets.
RE: County Council/geothermal - opihikao - 07-31-2012
Mr. Carr, thank you for your input. I wonder, however, for the 70+ who sued and "won" by settling out of court (claiming to be paid "millions of dollars"), be construed as a "successful suit"?
Many testified at council meetings that they were plaintiffs and got "settlements".
ORMAT/PGV paid the plaintiffs without any admission of fault as I understand the settlement agreement. Mere peanuts to ORMAT to quiet the angry, sick masses. They'd better get their checkbook out once again, as it seems to be the goal of the renewed anti geothermal group(s).
Unfortunately, we will have to wait for the facts of this whole thing to come out, and new health studies will take years. The information available from the Board of Health is not enough (for most people who have disdain for BOH), and the personal doctors of the people who claim illness have not confirmed the plant is the cause. It would have been a law suit for sure if they could!
Still waiting for the Mayor to bring the various entities together to the Puna community for further discussion. He promised he would at his meeting in Pahoa.
Too much misinformation, too many assumptions, and too many hidden agendas, which makes for a frustrated, divided community. Auwe! All just my opinion.
RE: County Council/geothermal - JerryCarr - 07-31-2012
Opihikao: You raise an interesting point. It is often cheaper for companies to settle than litigate, so I don't consider those settlements to be successful suits. Like you say, confirmation from a doctor would make a big difference.
RE: County Council/geothermal - csgray - 07-31-2012
My guess is this will be another difficult vote Fred Blas will miss due to a "scheduling conflict". That seems to be his pattern, if it is an important vote that affects Puna, and Fred doesn't want to have to go on the record, he is conveniently unavailable to vote. The rezoning vote for the Pahoa boutiques project is a perfect example, Fred was eating lunch at Luquin's instead of being at the council meeting, either physically or electronically. The last Geothermal vote, Fred was conveniently on Oahu, I honestly don't think he thought that vote was going to be delayed.
Carol
RE: County Council/geothermal - Jay Bondesen - 07-31-2012
Fred's position on the first two readings in Council was against bill 256 which was written by Chairman Yagong. He agreed with most of us in Leilani that see no justification for several components of that Bill as well as the accompanying bill 257 calling for an evacuation plan. I have asked about the missed meeting, at which the Chair was going to ask for an override vote but then delayed it, and still don't quite know what might have happened. I think Fred's previous position would have stood and that there would have not been enough votes to override the mayor's veto if it had come up. My opinion is that Fred is on the right side of this, wanting to know more before making such a big change.
Jay
RE: County Council/geothermal - opihikao - 08-02-2012
Agreed, pahoated, well said (again).
After 99 testifiers, both sides of the issue, starting at approx. 8:45am and went until 5:30pm (just the testifiers). Discussion went until approx. 8:30pm.
Vote 5-4 to override, (the normal split of votes) fails. Mayor's vetoes stand.
Thankfully, we don't have to pay Council persons overtime.
This is far from over, however, rational thought process (not politics) seems to have prevailed. Just my opinion.