Video by David Corrigan | Voice of Stephanie Salazar
On Sunday, Hawaii state legislators made a stop in Pepeekeo to learn about the planned Hu Honua bioenergy plant. But waiting for them when they arrived: A community roadblock.
Local residents opposed to the power plant gathered on Sugar Mill Road and stopped cars going to and fro, letting everyone know about their opposition to the project before granting motorists passage. The residents said that the private road is under the local homeowner associations’ jurisdiction, and that the Hu Honua company has failed to pay any road maintenance fees.
Pending approval, Hu Honua will resurrect an old coal burning plant that has been out of commission for years, and convert it to handle biofuels. At the moment, these residents are awaiting a decision in a contested case hearing… part of their opposition to a permit application that went before the Windward Planning Commission last year.
Good story and accurate.
There’s a bigger health concern that didn’t get addressed, and that is about biomass plants burning wood that has salt from the air on it. The chemical reaction produces toxic dioxin and furan. These cancer causing chemicals are not controlled by the air permit, or any permit. HuHonua has not provided adequate operational information to limit this public health concern. This plant does not belong in this area, where dioxins can get into our food supply – farms, ranches surround the plant.
In contrast to what the Pepeekeo Sugar Plantation did to the environment, this biomass plant emissions is miniscule! I can see the private land owners concern of their quality of life, but by hindering alternative energy to flourish, they take away the livelihood of future generations. With new technology as cogeneration systems, acid rain can be entirely diminished. Noise pollution may be a problem, but I remember when sugar harvesting could be heard from miles and miles away; residents lived with it.
Hawaii must achieve energy and food independency to become sustainable. This small segment of affluent land owners are self-centered and short-sighted. Perhaps laws of Imminent Domain should be implemented and the road to the plant be given back to the local government. We need this plant!
Burning things for energy is an elementary understanding of the enviroment and respect.
Firstly, let’s please try to pronounce the word correctly. It is NOT Pepekeo…it IS Pepe’ekeo. If you’re going to protect an area, the least you can do is pronounce where you live correctly. Secondly, some of us locals are tired of transplants coming here only to put up gates and walls around their little enclaves and then profess to live Aloha. Thirdly, this state is in dire need of alternative fuel sources. Maybe you should not have purchased next to the plant if you did not want to be impacted by it. Each community on this island should have to endure some of the pain associated with energy independence…not just the poor local communities.
Jason,
Humankind have been burning wood for centuries. In ancient times, fire was an advance method to procure heat and protection. Have you forgotten?