Aloha,
My name is Liana Murillo. I am currently the coordinator for Surfrider Foundation Hilo. My background is in Marine Science, Watershed Ecological Management and Community Organizing. Born in Hawaii and having had worked within the governmental, non profit and education sectors for over 8 years, I am very dedicated to the sustainable use of the land and water here.
That said, I am very concerned about eh HU Honua project and the proposed use of the water and land. With the amount being drained out of the aquifer I am concerned about the sustainable use of this water over time. Also, while the injection wells have been reported to be “downhill” of the drinking water wells, this makes it in NO means ecologically sound to inject chemically polluted water back into our porous rock substrate. The chemical pollution combined with the heat of the water would be devastating for the nearshore ecosystem and the sensitive organisms there that would be heavily impacted by the alteration in chemistry. In addition, with Hakalau beach park and Kolekole State Park nearby, this plant would threaten public health and access to clean, safe ocean water. In addition, the release of fossil fuels and the decrease of air quality from this type of power plant is an unacceptable use of resources in this day and age where the effects of global warming are obvious and the modern technology for sustainable solutions is very accessible.
Please tell me the steps that are outlined to hold a public hearing for this proposed project. We have many more community voices that are very concerned about this issue.
Mahalo,
Liana
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