Geothermal amendments advance

By TOM CALLIS

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Proposed amendments to the Big Island’s geothermal royalty policy cleared its first legislative hurdle Wednesday.

A County Council Committee voted 5-3 to give a positive recommendation to a bill that would redirect royalties toward health studies and air monitoring around the Puna geothermal power plant and amend the county’s geothermal relocation policy. A final vote is expected to occur June 6.

The vote followed over three hours of public testimony, dominated by Puna residents concerned that their health is being impacted by the plant, which taps into steam deep in the Earth to produce electricity.

Many said they support the changes as proposed by Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, and called current safeguards inadequate at best.

“What this should be about is safety, basic safety,” Jon Bryan said.

Several also spoke against the bill, citing the elimination of funding for capital projects in Puna.

“Proceeds of this fund should remain for the benefit of the residents of the Puna district,” Richard Murdy said.

“Puna has the worst infrastructure in the county.”

The county gets about $500,000 a year in geothermal royalties. Its royalty fund has about $2.155 million.

The royalty account currently funds the Pahoa council office, and security at Pohoiki Bay and Pahoa Community Center, said county Planning Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd.

Each would lose funding if the bill is adopted.

The fund has also covered road improvements.

Some council members voiced support for using some of the royalties for capital projects in Puna, which they say remains underserved despite being the fastest growing area in the state.

“I would like the community benefit to be put back in at some point, ” Councilman Donald Ikeda said.

Council members Ikeda, Fred Blas, and Dennis Onishi voted against the bill.

Councilman Angel Pilago was absent.

Others defended the decision by the council in 2008 to direct some royalties toward infrastructure improvements. Previously, the fund was only used for relocations.

But by then requests for relocations had ceased.

“Puna was short on infrastructure,” Councilman Pete Hoffmann said.

“The council was trying at one time to do everything we could in order to bring in facilities to you.”

Blas, who took hits from several speakers who perceive him as being out of touch with the geothermal issue, said he felt he was being unfairly targeted.

“I can’t take the way all these people are talking to me about this,” he said.

“I just got into this job.”

Blas represents lower Puna where the plant is located.

The county has approved eight relocations since the fund was established in the 1980s.

The most recent was May 11. Before that, the last relocation was in 2005.

Each property, except the one most recently approved, was auctioned.

The county buys the property at 130 percent of its value.

Leithead Todd estimated that there are between 87 and 140 homes within a mile of the plant.

Yagong’s bill would prevent the county from reselling the properties to be used as residences.

The idea, he said, is to create a buffer zone between residents and the power plant.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Yagong said.

“If you are moving someone for a health purpose, why would you move someone back in?”

Leithead Todd said the county has three pending relocation requests.

The county currently gives priority to homes built before 1989 and those within a mile of the plant.

Yagong’s bill would eliminate those priorities.

The bill as introduced would have ended the relocation program on Dec. 31. The council amended the bill Wednesday at Yagong’s request to eliminate that sunset.

The state Department of Health has determined that the plant is not a risk to public health, but several speakers said they believe the air monitors in place are faulty.

Michael Haln said he feels dizzy frequently at his home.

“It’s hard to get up in the morning,” he said.

“I don’t feel that way away from home.”

The bill is intended to resolve those concerns by allowing funds to be spent on health studies in the community.

Several speakers also voiced concern over the absence of an evacuation plan during a geothermal blow-out or leak.

Yagong said he plans to introduce a bill June 6 to require an evacuation plan.

Councilwoman Brittany Smart said it was clear from the testimony that not enough has been done to resolve concerns with geothermal.

Smart said the council is trying to address the issue, but she added its powers are limited and that the council is not taking a position on geothermal.

“We can’t do everything,” she said.

“I see this bill as dealing with the situation we have on the ground now.”

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.