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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

A Molokai Wind Farm

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

A Molokai Wind Farm

Community Contributed
By Steve Morgan

Why not use solar instead of wind power?
This seems like a reasonable question given the amount of sun that we possess. The simple answer is that solar in considerably more costly. In 2008, a study was done by the Department of Energy to evaluate all alternative energy sources including utility scale solar farms and widespread use of individual roof top solar systems. In regard to both types of systems, the cost was roughly double that of wind. A report demonstrating a comparable renewable energy analysis is expected to be released by the Department of Agriculture in March 2011. This information will also be included in the environmental impact statement (EIS). Nevertheless, solar will play a part of Hawaii’s energy portfolio as tax incentives and net metering encourage the development of independent systems. Furthermore, in the event that an independent renewable energy grid is established for Molokai, solar would be a viable option as one of the components of this system.


Molokai is being asked to help supply Oahu's growing energy demands. What measurable conservation efforts are being undertaken on Oahu?
Over the last five years, due to a combination of various factors including conservation efforts and a weakening economy, Oahu residential customers have cut their average electric usage by 7.2 percent.  From 1996 through 2008, Oahu also saw a reduction in oil consumption of 3.7 million barrels. Recent large scale energy projects on Oahu include a 30 megawatt (MW) wind farm on Oahu’s North Shore and a 110 MW biofuel plant at Kalaeloa.  Plans are also in place for a second wind farm on the North Shore (Kawailoa) which will create an additional 70 MW of power.

Will Molokai be able to receive power from the proposed wind farm?
No, even a single windmill of this size would have too much output for Molokai’s electric grid. Assuming the offer to be the same as Lanai, as part of a benefits package, HECO would offer an independent agreement to ensure that our island’s electric utility would be 100 percent “green” by 2020. In the interim, what is being proposed by HECO would be to guarantee electric rates to Molokai at the same rate as Oahu customers. (approx. 50 percent price reduction)
 
How long would it take to construct the wind farm on Molokai?
According to First Wind, actual construction would be accomplished within a twelve month period.  Without complications, land rights, studies and permits would be accomplished by the end of 2012 and engineering completed by 2013. Actual construction would commence in 2014.
 
Does First Wind have land rights for the windmills on Molokai?
No and the track record thus far has been a resistance from Molokai Ranch to sell land. The tipping point in all of this may be the state itself which is taking a very proactive stance in fulfilling the requirements of HRS 269-92. Peter Nicholas, CEO of Molokai Ranch, recently acknowledged that the pressure from the government is such that if Molokai Ranch refuses to sell, there is a possibility that the state would condemn the necessary Ranch lands through the process of Eminent Domain.

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Not Horsing Around

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

Not Horsing Around

Molokai high school students and younger keiki found their inner-paniolo as they trotted and galloped across the red dirt at this weekend’s Hawaii High School Rodeo Association (HHSRA)’s first matchup, at Molokai Ranch Arena.

With cattle mooing in the background, a sunny day and a slight wind, it was a perfect combination for a competitive wrangling.

“I remember when a lot of these kids would have to be walked around the barrels - now they are running around by themselves,” Jimmy said.

The next HHSRA rodeo will be March 26 and 27 at the Molokai Ranch Arena, beginning at 9 a.m.

Rodeo results will be posted at TheMolokaiDispatch.com this week, and be in next week’s Dispatch.


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Putting Water in Local Hands

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

In the midst of a water permit acquisition and an important-agricultural land designation request by Molokai Properties Ltd (MPL), there are many questions remaining for homesteaders who feel bound to Molokai’s water.

Malia Akutagawa is president of Sust `ainable Molokai, a grassroots organization that educates the public on sustainability through traditional as well as modern methods.

Lately, Akutagawa has been teaching homesteaders about their rights to Molokai’s water. “Why are they [MPL] trying to get a permit to draw the water without a permit to pump it,” Akutagawa asked an audience of about 20 Ho`olehua homesteader s at Lanikeha last Wednesday.

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A Crop for All Seasons

Friday, February 18th, 2011

A Crop for All Seasons

The price is food is not getting any cheaper, and as residents buy less, the price climbs even higher. For those of us with some land to spare and affordable water, it makes sense to put some seedlings in the ground and let the rains take care. 

For everything, there is a season, and knowing when to plant a certain crop is key to the success of your plantings. For starters, always plan ahead to the next season. Each season has its own set of characteristics and quirks that favor some crops over other ones, including rainfall, day length and temperature.

In Hawaii, there are at least four distinguishable growing seasons. The fall/winter slot, from September to December, has just past, but is usually a repeat of this season which I call the winter/spring slot.  It’s a perfect time for broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, Chinese cabbages or mustards, leafy vegetables, root crops, and anything else you might want to take a chance on. January can be a time for beautiful warm sunny days one day, and torrential rains the next.

Hawaiians refer to this kind of weather as kaulua or ‘of two minds.’ This season is strongly influenced by the northerly storms, the ones that produce our large waves. Of these, the northwesterly ones are the most destructive because they’re opposite from our prevailing northeasterly winds, and many areas have no wind protection, including farms and residences. In the peak of this season, there are at least two to three new storms each week, and sometimes more. The rain also brings the weeds, and reminds me of the saying, ‘one year of weeds, seven years of seeds!’ This is one of the greatest challenges of gardening in the rainy season, and one in which farmers would like to avoid.

Of the cold season veggies, the safest ones to grow would be the underground crops, such as radish, beets, daikon, carrots, and even kohlrabi. Mustards kai choy, pak choy, and won bok thrive now. Lettuce grows well from October to May, but heavy rains this season can damage some of the thin leaved types. The thick-leaf, cast iron types such as romaine, heads, and hapa types like Anuenue, Concept, Sierra, or Nevada will do well.

Bulb onions, exclusively the Grano and Granex types, can be sown from September to March. These are the Maui onion types, and will grow just as well on Molokai and get pretty sweet, especially above 500 feet. Bulb onions take about 150 days or more to mature so they’ll be ready in May or June if started now. Irish potatoes also grow well during this season, but getting good seed can be a problem. Buying a big bag of small potatoes is one way to start.

The spring slot, starting in mid-March, it’s the last chance for some of the winter veggies, especially the broccolis and cauliflowers. Some of the Chinese mustards can grow all year round, but it’s good practice to have a crop-free period for each crop to break the insect cycle. Spring runs from March to June. April showers bring May flowers, so plant some flowers as well. Melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers can be planted in mid-spring.

Since this is just a generalization of the seasons, it’s always a good practice to take a chance on a new crop. Who knows, sometimes winter never comes, and other times summer just goes on and on and on.

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Save Your Energy

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Save Your Energy

Molokai faces the highest electricity rates in the state, if not the country, and many residents are at a loss for how to cut down on their bill. While the state tries for big-picture projects like wind farms, local companies are giving residents simple solutions.

 “Molokai is a lot more innovative than you’d think it’d be,” said Kalono Ferreira of Pono-Solutions.

Pono-Solutions, a subsidiary organization of the state rebate program Hawaii Energy, is now available on Molokai to help people get the most out of their energy systems by taking advantage of these rebates.

Energy education is available to those are interested in an education on how to be energy efficient. Pono-Solutions work with customers to make homes and businesses more energy efficient – from light bulbs, to air conditioners, to refrigerators and water heaters.

Pono-Solutions will also hook customers up with a local contractor to service their needs.

Dennis Turner, owner of Outpost Natural Foods store in Kaunakakai, wants to stop paying for energy all together.

“We have a goal to get off the grid,” Turner said.

He has built his own custom-lighting to cut down on costs and has advice for others who are interested in saving energy.

“People should keep the condensers clean on their refrigerators. That will allow air to circulate more effectively and not let heat build up,” he said.

Ferreira and his colleagues came from Oahu last week to help audit people’s lighting systems and give advice on how to be energy-efficient.

Lighting the Way

Ferreira said its great more people are using solar; however, before installing solar panels, other energy-suckers need to be changed first, such as incandescent light bulbs.

“Lighting is the first step. It’s cheap to replace and you get a return on your investment,” said Jason Aiana, a Pono-Solutions representative on Molokai. “There’s a huge difference on electric bills when people make their lighting systems more efficient.”

A simple change of a light bulb can decrease electricity bills dramatically. For example, a T12 florescent bulb may cost a little less, but uses anywhere from 40-90 kilowatts per hour. A T8 bulb uses only 25-32 watts per hour.

Residents can take advantage various rebates as well.  Solar water heaters can cost $1,500-2000, but  the annual savings  are around $500, according to Hawaiienergy.com. Rebates of $750 could be granted for this kind of system.

Energy-efficient appliances such as washing machines, ceiling fans and air conditioners also have rebates, up to about $110, and compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) often have instant rebates in stores.

Aianai is confident that sustainability can’t be done alone.

“It’s a kakou thing!” he said, meaning, “We’re all in this together!”

To learn more on how to make your home more energy-efficient and save on energy bills, contact Jason Aiana at 479-9618 or visit www.pono-solutions.com.  For more information about energy use in Hawaii and to take advantage of rebates, visit www.hawaiienergy.com.

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Molokai Wind Farm

Friday, February 18th, 2011


By Steve Morgan

A quick disclaimer – I currently do not represent a position of support or opposition in regard to the proposed wind farm. My only intention of this series is to help our community in getting a basic understanding of this project.

Why is the state actively seeking to build windmills on Molokai?
The urgency to build a wind farm on Molokai originates with State Bill HRS 269-92, which mandates that the state of Hawaii replace 40 percent of its oil consumption by the year 2030 with renewable energy. Mandated intervals also require a 10 percent reduction in oil consumption by 2010, which has been met. By 2015, renewable energy must reach the 15 percent level and by 2020 a 25 percent level must be reached.

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Organic Farming Given Funding

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Organic farming is easier on the environment, but even organic practices need safeguards. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering financial assistance to National Organic Program certified organic producers.

 

The funding gives current growers’ opportunity to address their existing resource concerns, such as soil and plant conditions, as well as new organic producers, according to Lawrence T. Yamamoto, NRCS Director for the Pacific Islands Area. This assistance will be provided through the Organic Initiative of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

 

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Providing Relief for Molokai Homestead Farmers

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Providing Relief for Molokai Homestead Farmers

Community Contributed

By Rep. Mele Carroll

This session I introduced House Bill 1483, which directs the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to provide water to Molokai Irrigation System users who lease tracts of land at a reduced rate. It also requires the DOA to forgive past due water bills for the provision of irrigation water for Molokai homestead farmers.

With this challenging economy, the hardship of our Molokai homestead farmers is real and I feel that we need to provide some relief to our farmers so they can continue to economically survive during these most trying times.
House Bill 1483 was advanced by the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs on Feb. 4, and will now advance to Joint House Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land & Ocean Resources for consideration.


The Molokai Irrigation Ditch was created for the homesteaders to be used for agricultural purposes, per an agreement made between the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the homesteaders and the Department of Water Supply. That agreement called for sufficient water be given to the homestead farmers to be used for their farming. As the years have progressed, the federal mandate that homesteaders be given two-thirds of the water allotment has seemingly lost its strength or forgotten altogether.

With current water costs to the people of Molokai, it has become more than some homestead families can endure and still be able to survive.

Testimony given during the hearing included that of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) stating that, “this bill restores a benefit to these lessees and we appreciate this, and similar measures, that enable our agricultural lessees to be successful.”

The DLNR continued in saying, “The department supports this measure provided that sufficient funding is made available to the Department of Agriculture to cover the operational costs of the MIS. We recommend thorough discussion and consultation with the Department of Agriculture (the lead agency) and the MIS users to ensure this reduced rate is pragmatic and sustainable.”

Additional testimony in favor of House Bill 1483 came from the `Aha Ki`ole Advisory Committee, who strongly supported the bill saying in written testimony, “Water is a critical component to the needs of Native Hawaiians on Hawaiian Homestead lands in Molokai and is desperately needed for agricultural purposes and to actually survive. The Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 specifically was created to enable Native Hawaiians to return to their lands and to promote self-sufficiency. However, this self-sufficiency cannot be achieved without water. On Molokai, the cost of water is probably the highest in the state of Hawai’i and the lack of it causes an extreme hardship for homestead farmers who must depend on their farms to exist.

“Dependent on traditional resource management that balances the ecosystem, the `Aha Moku system is also dependent on water. And, Native Hawaiian families who are descendant from the original homestead farmers who live in these five moku are in desperate need of assistance now.”

With the severe economic impacts facing Molokai and it’s residents on a daily basis, the passing of House Bill 1483 will bring some much needed relief by allowing the Department of Hawaiian Homelands farmer lessee’s whose very lives are dependent on the availability of affordable water to continue to do so at a reduced rate. House Bill 1483 also provides the necessary financial relief that is imperative for Molokai’s homestead farmers.

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Kaunakakai Flood Plan Deemed Substandard

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Kaunakakai Flood Plan Deemed Substandard

Twenty years after Molokai’s first flood maps were released, Maui County and federal agencies have presented a major overhaul of flood zones on Molokai. These changes have caused concern for some residents of Kaunakakai who may now be required to purchase flood insurance.

Molokai’s updated flood areas are a part of a nation-wide study on the effects of hurricanes. Spearheaded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the study began in 2003.

Still, FEMA found that Molokai’s flood zone maps had not been updated since they were created in 1981, and in particular found that the levee running along the western side of Kaunakakai was not certified to FEMA standards. Until the levee is certified by an engineering team, Kaunakakai residents and business owners now face the requirements of being in a flood plain.

Some homeowners seem surprised at the recent change.

“I think this house has been here since the [1920s],” said Paul Fischer, a resident on Manako Lane, which is in the new flood zone. “It never got flooded before. If it did, it’s still here.”

,” he said. “Nobody’s ever looked at it.”

Fischer said he was upset at this new requirement, especially considering he is not worried about his house flooding.

“I’m not paying $400 or $1,500. I can’t afford that,” he said. “I’m on a limited income. Maybe my landlord will pay but I can’t pay that.”

Kaunakakai Levee
 Gayagas of the Corps levee is inspected annually, and that it is in “good condition, maintenance-wise.” Made of dirt and stone, Gayagas said its construction is to protect against seasonal weather and storms. He said the county gathered data to self-certify two years ago, but is in talks to hire the Corps to certify the levee. Cerizo said they are still looking for funding to hire the Corps, and the whole process will take up to three years.

If the levee is certified under FEMA standards, Kaunakakai will revert back to its protected zone, and property owners will no longer need flood insurance.

Cerizo said there is an appeal process – a chance to request that FEMA do a closer study. He said a resident can submit their comments, preferably two copies for his office and for FEMA, by April 19.

The prelimnary maps can be found at gis.hawaiinfip.org/fhat; a tutorial on how to read the maps can be found at hawaiinfip.org. Contact Cerizo or Carolyn Cortez at 808-270-7253 for more information.

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Farmers Seed

Sunday, February 13th, 2011

Farmers Seed

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Ever since man gave up his nomadic hunting and gathering existence, and settled down to a piece of land to grow food, he has selected and refined seeds. Through constant selection, lowly grasses became nutritious grains, and wild tubers and corms became vital staples. From the Native Americans who have been cultivating beans, corn, squashes for centuries, to the first Polynesians who arrived in Hawaii, to the immigrants still arriving on these shores today, these groups contributed their important crops to the cornucopia of foods we eat today.

At one time, our congressional representatives were one of the main sources of new seeds, and distributed them as they met constituents in their home state. With the establishment of land-grant universities starting in the mid-1800s, new varieties of seeds were bred and selected for specific locations within a state.

In its heyday, the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH-CTAHR) developed many vegetable seed varieties, and also worked closely with farmers to develop these selections. Dr. Jim Gilbert, with a background in plant diseases and genetics, was instrumental in the success of vegetable farming in Hawaii through his work on disease-resistant crops. He developed Kailua and Kahala soybeans, Healani and Anahu tomatoes, Waianae Wonder and Hawaiian Wonder pole beans, among others.


Vegetable breeding at the universities nationwide reached its low point about 25 years ago as seed companies took on a larger role of breeding and developing new varieties. This change was not beneficial to Hawaii with its unique environmental conditions, creating special challenges for local farmers. For example, seed companies focus on developing seeds with tolerance to frost and early maturity due to their short growing season. More recently, seed companies have undergone major consolidation as small companies have been swallowed up by multi-national chemical companies, and with it, less seed varieties are available today with many varieties lost forever.
 
Universities have formed partnerships with local farmers to develop new varieties of interest to farmers in the area. One example is long purple eggplant, an oriental crop and one preferred type for Hawaii’s markets.  About 20 years ago, the UH-CTAHR conducted a long eggplant trial at the Waimanalo Research Station on Oahu. Mr. Nitta, an eggplant farmer from Waianae, was not impressed with the trial. His seed selections were included in the field trials, where his varieties had twice the yield of UH selections Waimanalo Long and Molokai Long. Knowing a good thing, UH breeder Jack Tanaka crossed the Nitta lines with the UH selections, creating Nitta Waimanalo Long Hybrid and Nitta Molokai Long Hybrid. These two selections are clearly superior in yield, quality, and appearance to their parents.

In 1990, I met Mr. Nitta at a farm conference on Oahu, and asked him where he had found this eggplant seed. He replied, “From a garden behind a little store on the east side of Molokai.” I’m pretty sure he meant the Neighborhood Store, and it was probably a garden grown by the Quinones family or a relative. The reason why this variety had twice as many fruits is a multiple flowering characteristic found in some Filipino eggplant varieties. Instead of one flower coming out like most eggplants, two emerged, which gave it twice the yield of a normal long eggplant.

Seeds developed for Hawaii’s unique climatic conditions and challenges can mean the difference between success and failure in farming, but sometimes we don’t have to look far to find superior seed.

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