|
March 04, 2018, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Carroll's guest is Rose Marie Gonzalez. They discuss the Hu Honua Bioenergy, LLC, plant reconstruction project in Pepeekeo, Hawaii. Hu Honua is in the process of converting the former Hilo Coast Power Company coal fired power plant into an alternative energy facility that will burn "locally grown biomass", or wood.
Big Island residents are concerned about the new power plant, the high volume of brackish water from wells that will be needed to support it, and the many trucks that will be needed to haul logs and other material to the plant from other parts of the island. They are also concerned about the coal ash left over from the original plant, and the ash generated by the new plant, that will be hauled to the landfill. The leftover coal ash is of particular concern due to its environmental impact.
The second hour Carroll talks with Claudia Rohr about the project and her concern about injection wells that will pump the cooling water from the plant back into the aquifer, with additives. She also notes, the "cooling" water will be very hot when it is pumped out. The wells are less than 100 feet from the shoreline, and the hot water will probably go into the ocean. Claudia wants more information about what they are doing. Claudia also expresses her concern about the many trucks that will be going up and down the Hilo coast.
Claudia tells us, energy independence is good, but the power that will be produced by this facility is not needed at this time and very few jobs will be generated. She also talks about the problems with the coal ash and the impact on the landfill, particularly shipping to Kona. It is not worth the devastation that will be caused by the plant.
Carroll notes while Hawaii's Governor David Ige is joining the U.S. Climate Alliance, and signing a bill aligned with the Paris agreement, his administration is permitting the erection of the wood burning bioenergy plant in Pepeekeo, Hawaii. Link here to the press release regarding the bill.
.
|
|
|
-
-
 - Hanging out with friends in Hawaii
|
