Does nighttime drilling ban apply to PGV?

[lavalava]

Awww Snorkle. You are so cute when you troll...

[leilanidude]

quote:

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Originally posted by snorkle

So.... When the wells are capped; the steel sleeve they are lined with doesn't corrode, allowing gas to escape?

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Down 1.5 miles of concrete? I kinda doubt it.

[Jay Bondesen]

Speaking only to the question of a nighttime ban; I have taken part in many industrial construction projects and there are some processes that just need to be carried on until they reach completion or a reasonable point to pause. There are safety considerations as well as functional issues that make it impossible to just stop the operation based on the clock. Having to plan for and use a specific window of time each day makes it much more difficult, time consuming, and costly. But then maybe that is the hope for some, that a nighttime ban means it won't happen at all. It's easy for me to say since I didn't hear the last drilling even though I live in Leilani but if it's to be done I would rather it be done quickly.

Jay

[lavalava]

I agree Jay - just get it over with. I just would like them to be quieter about it. Wishful thinking probably...

[ironyak]

Originally posted by Obie
Here is a link to a guidebook that explains the process in Hawaii:
http://energy.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uplo...debook.pdf

Some of it is now outdated but it shows there is plenty of oversight and PGV met all of the requirements.

Thanks for the link - was a new resource to me. However, given that this permitting guide book was published 30+ years after HGP-A was drilled, and 20+ years after PGV began, and that many of the requirements listed didn't exist here at the outset of geothermal development, and that much of this framework (geothermal subzones, county controlled GRP process, EIS requirements for exploratory drilling, etc) has been removed in just the last 5 years, this appears to be more evidence for what I said: Geothermal development elsewhere is done with clear governmental oversight and legal requirements, including emission controls and adequate noise suppression. Unfortunately, this is not how geothermal has been done here.

Agreed that PGV has met all the requirements to obtain the necessary permits. However, they have continuously not managed to abide by the permits resulting in dozens of citations by the EPA and DOH from at least 1991 to 2015:
http://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bi...nology.pdf Page 12, and more
http://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bi...ndence.pdf (11.5 meg) Pages 9, 12
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2014/0...cited-epa/
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2015/0...incidents/

Once upon a time (pre-1981), drilling was only allowed on weekdays. Before 1996, the noise limit used to be 45dB , which is ~300x less intense or ~6x less noisy than today's 70dB limit. Now, County Council can't determine if a nighttime drilling ban they passed actually applies or not. It will be interesting to see how PGV proceeds with their unclear permit requirements. Note that they've had to do stop drilling at night before due to noise complaints.

For the record, I do believe that geothermal can be a better alternative to electricity generation by fossil fuels. However, it actually has to be done wisely, including proper site selection, working with the surrounding community, sufficient regulatory oversight, and a developer willing and able to meet these requirements and still deliver actual cost savings on electricity. None of these have been the case thus far for local geothermal development.

[kalakoa]

County Council can't determine if a nighttime drilling ban they passed actually applies

Act 97 effectively removes County from the geothermal permitting process. Unless/until this Act is repealed or modified, County has zero authority; even then, County's oversight is limited to "regulations that apply in Ag zoning". Did PGV have to get an SUP?

Ironically: Ag zoning is inappropriate for Leilani's de-facto "residential use", and it's also inappropriate for PGV's "industrial use".

[bluesboy]

if they can drill at night, then they should be able to work on the highway at night as well.....

[opihikao]

Anyone attending the meeting, please give us the "pearls" of the discussion, not the entire "bushel of oysters". Thank you.

(No live stream? Where is OccupyHilo, Big Island Video News, RJ, anyone? Mahalo again.)

Mr. Bondensen hit the nail on the head. "There are safety considerations as well as functional issues that make it impossible to just stop the operation based on the clock," as an example. Thank you, Sir. Surprised you didn't have your comment analyzed, dissected, etc. Must hold some weight.

JMO.

ETA: fix typo

[Petard]

Livestreaming is available. Go to www.hawaiicounty.gov and click on the link "Council Meetings" on the left. A link to the meeting stream will appear on that day.

[opihikao]

quote:

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Originally posted by Petard

Livestreaming is available. Go to www.hawaiicounty.gov and click on the link "Council Meetings" on the left. A link to the meeting stream will appear on that day.

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Thank you. This is for County Council meetings. Don't see tonight's meeting (I should have been more clear), however. This is a PGV meeting, not County, so maybe that's why...(?)

Thank you again, Petard.

JMO.

ETA: more typos. Glasses lost...somewhere.[xx(]