Mahalo, county
The “missing list” in California has grown to 631 (Tribune-Herald, Nov 16). How horrifying to be wondering whether family, friends and neighbors are lost or burned to death.
We in Puna have gone through a recent crisis, and NO ONE DIED!
I have to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to Mayor Harry Kim and all the county workers and helpers who gave us this great gift! I know of personal friends whose lives were saved when they were evacuated in the middle of the night with their dogs and elderly parents and whatever they could carry. They had to move fast. They were in good hands.
Let’s all think just a moment how lucky we are and what a great county this is.
Andrea Rosanoff
Leilani Estates
Power plant concerns
Mahalo to the hundreds of citizens who turned out at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center (Nov. 14) for Hu Honua power plant’s morning PR session and the afternoon hearing on the clean water application. Also, mahalo for the Tribune-Herald’s coverage of the day’s events. Well done.
Yes, the morning Hu Honua PR session was interrupted many times by the majority in the standing-room-only crowd frustrated by the same old misinformation, unrealistic goals and unanswered questions for many years on display once again.
The difference this time in the PR session and the afternoon clean water hearing was the attendance by so many concerned young people, and the plant worker’s inside info about last week’s chemical spill. As one who came of age in the ’60s, I know firsthand how standing up to the likes of a multimillion dollar power plant, funded with tax credits, in a residential neighborhood, can make a difference in the lives of tens of thousands and a safer future.
It’s great to see the young folks, with their small keiki in tow, speaking out against the dangers of fouled water, ocean and air pollution and out-of-control chemicals. Mahalo also to the plant workers who went with their conscience over their jobs. A big shoutout!
This is a plant that HELCO has continually stated is not needed. HELCO is in the process of opening a 21st century solar plant in Kailua-Kona — in a state where Hawaiian Electric Co. has seen more than a 100 megawatts of solar energy added in just the past 18 months.
With all this, my question is the same: What is going on here?
How is an unnecessary power plant allowed to clear-cut forests, haul trees from the north and south areas of our island for up to 30 years and burn them in a rebuilt 150-year-old sugar refinery? How is it allowed to take 21 million gallons of water (daily) from our aquifer to cool a 3,000-degree burner in a residential neighborhood, then add chemicals to a portion of the hot water and inject it into the earth?
Our legislators abandoned us. Not rocket science why. But in the interest of getting a letter published, I won’t go there.
As a senior citizen who, with many neighbors, has battled the plant’s opening for many years, I’m proud of our younger generations and those who care so much about the aina to put their jobs on the line.
Aloha, and no matter what, we will be vigilant and united.
Bob Smith
Pepeekeo