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Community Development

What is community development? How should community development be governed?

Maunaloa Post Office Still Closed, Under Construction

Wednesday, April 14th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

After being closed on Feb. 24 for structural concerns and pest issues, the Maunaloa Post Office remains closed nearly two months later. Construction on the building is underway, and in the meantime, Maunaloa residents continue to have to pick up with mail at the Ho’olehua Post Office.

“The landlord for the Maunaloa Post Office is currently making repairs to the facility,” representatives of the U.S. Postal Service district office in Honolulu said in a statement to The Molokai Dispatch last week. “We look forward to reopening the facility when the repairs are complete. At the moment we don’t know when that will be.”…

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Na’iwa DHHL Subdivision Gets Infrastructure

Wednesday, February 24th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

After years of waiting, the Na’iwa agricultural subdivision in Ho’olehua near the airport will be get-ting infrastructure improvements including access roads, driveways, electrical connections and potable and irrigation water lines. Site inspections and field work for the improvements will begin this week on the Department of Hawaiian Homelands subdivision, which encompasses 341 acres and 58 lots.

Last year, state legislature released $400,000 out of a projected $6,500,000 total project cost. The infrastructure improvements are slated for completion in June, 2023.

DHHL announced the preliminary work will be kicking off Feb. 22-26 and March 1-5. During this time, contractors will be collecting relevant biological and archaeological information, which will help inform DHHL in the development of its draft Environmental Assessment, according to DHHL.…

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Soil Investigation at Gas Storage Site

Thursday, February 18th, 2021

Arcadis News Release

Arcadis U.S., Inc (Arcadis) will be completing a site investigation project on behalf of Chevron Environmental Management Company at the Kaunakakai Terminal, scheduled tentatively for Feb. 22 to April 9, 2021. A non-invasive investigation of PAR Hawaii’s Kaunakakai Bulk Storage Facility was requested by the Hawaii State Department of Health Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response division to understand the impact of petroleum in the soil.

The site falls within a special management area (Permit #SM6 2020/0002) and includes potential cultural and archaeological assets present in the subsurface, prompting the desire for a non-intrusive investigation. The project will be performed at the empty lots on 125 Kaunakakai Place and 28 Beach Place (privately owned), along the Kaunakakai Place right-of-way (owned by the Hawaii State Department of Transportation), and in the northeastern portion of Malama Cultural Park (owned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands).…

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New Roof and Bleachers Coming for Kaunakakai School

Thursday, February 18th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Kaunakakai School, along with other schools on island, will be getting improvements as part of the state’s Capital Improvements Project (CIP) funds. Last week, Gov. Ige released $750,000 for Kaunakakai Elementary to receive roof and gutter replacements for buildings B and D, along with construction of bleachers at the school.

Last summer, state Legislature passed a $5.1 billion budget for CIPs, of which $533 million was allocated for Maui County. School projects were a budget priority and three Molokai schools will be receiving funds released this year. Along with Kaunakakai School’s improvements, Kualapu’u School will receive $300,000 for ADA transition, $1 million for playground equipment and $150,000 for a basketball court cover.…

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Ho’olehua Post Office Reopens

Thursday, February 18th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

After nearly a week-long closure because of structural concerns, the Ho’olehua Post Office was cleared to reopen last week Tuesday.

“We want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding during the temporary closure” said USPS Manager of Post Office Operations Gary Logan, who oversees all neighbor island postal operations. “The safety and security of our customers and employees is our top priority.”

The post office on Pu’upe’elua Ave is a leased structure on land owned by Dept. of Hawaiian Homelands, according to tax map records. Safety concerns at the building were identified by a team of staffers from Honolulu that oversee neighbor island operations, according to USPS spokesperson Duke Gonzales.…

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NPS Seeking Kalaupapa Electrical System Improvements

Wednesday, December 16th, 2020

KNHP News Release

The National Park Service (NPS) is requesting input and manaʻo on options to rehabilitate the existing electrical system at Kalaupapa National Historical Park and the Kalaupapa Settlement. At this time, the park is initiating a 45-day public scoping period in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

The current electrical system at the park was installed in 1969 and is owned by State of Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) and the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. An overhead power line, owned by the Maui Electrical Company (MECO), follows the Kalaupapa trail and terminates at the 300kVA MECO-owned substation on the Kalaupapa peninsula; the existing overhead system is tied in and managed by the NPS.…

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Community Solar Proposals Take Shape

Wednesday, December 16th, 2020

By Dayanti Karunaratne, Community Reporter

It is an exciting time for renewable energy on Molokai as the community awaits details of what will be the island’s biggest ever solar energy project. Unlike past solar projects that involve in-stalling rooftop panels on private property, this project will involve the building of a large solar plant to generate energy — and reduce electricity bills.

Projects under the Community-Based Renewable Energy Program (CBRE) platform, set up by Hawaiian Electric (HE) and approved by the Public Utilities Commission, will be selected through a bidding process called a Request for Proposals (RFP). The CBRE model involves a “community solar” installation that allows customers who cannot put solar panels on their roof to still reap the financial and environmental benefits of solar energy.…

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Hawaiian Electric Proposes Shared Solar for Molokai

Wednesday, November 25th, 2020

Hawaiian Electric News Release

Hawaiian Electric’s proposal to launch shared solar or Community-Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) programs and projects on Molokai and Lanai featuring solar photovoltaic (PV) paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS) will be the topic at separate community meetings. In consideration of the pandemic safety precautions, both meetings will be held virtually, Dec. 2 and 3 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., on webex.com.

For the Molokai meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 2, callers can dial 1-844-992-4726 (Toll-Free) and enter WebEx meeting number: 146 449 2132, Password: 2qqQjCYmr52

The live format will include a presentation by company officials followed by audience questions.…

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True Community Based Renewable Energy at Stake

Wednesday, November 25th, 2020

MREC News Release

As you may know by now, Hawaiian Electric, as required by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), is planning to seek proposals for their “Phase 2” Community Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) project on Molokai in early 2021. The timing of the CBRE request for proposal is an opportunity for Molokai to formalize its own grassroots cooperative and compete for a project that will reduce our reliance on diesel generated electricity, improve grid resiliency, and bring support and relief to our overburdened rate payers.

Molokai community members have joined together to create Molokai Renewable Energy Cooperative (MREC) and are preparing to submit the coopʻs first project, a 2.75 megawatt solar plus battery project, which could meet the electric needs of 1000 households.…

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Aging Water System Gets $37M Upgrade

Wednesday, November 25th, 2020

Aging Water System Gets $37M Upgrade

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Repairs and improvements to the 80-year-old Ho’olehua Water System kicked off with a small groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday that marks the beginning of a multi-phase, $37 million project that will last about two years. The water system serves more than 2,400 customers, including about 500 homesteads in Hoʻolehua, Palaʻau, Kalamaʻula and Moʻomomi, as well as provides water to the post office, schools and airport.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) capital improvement project will include improvements such as the installation of a 200,000-gallon storage tank, upgrades to automation systems, a new warehouse, and a new emergency generator diesel fuel tank.…

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