DLNR News Release
In an effort to protect resource-rich land, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will provide funding to acquire land in need of preservation.
The Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP), funded by the State Land Conservation Fund, is now accepting applications. State agencies, county agencies and non-profit land conservation organizations are encouraged to apply.
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Community Contributed
By Arleone Dibben-Young
A mysterious disease is killing striped and porcupine puffer fish. Dr. Thierry Work with the U.S. Geological Survey has received at least 100 reports of dead puffer fish from across the state in the last six months. The sick and dying puffer fish have had lesions on the skin, but what’s been found on the inside has researchers alarmed.
"We're seeing things like enlarged livers and enlarged swim bladders, which is the organ that allows puffer fish to float," Work said. His staff has been able to analyze only 14 sick puffer fish so far and they're baffled as to what is killing them, but are leaning towards a virus or toxicosis.
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NOAA News Release
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is reviewing its Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary management plan and encouraging public input through a series of meetings from Aug. 10-26. During these meetings, comments on management considerations will be recorded as input to the management plan process.
A meeting will be held on Molokai at the Mitchell Pauole Center, Kaunakakai, on Aug. 18 at 6 p.m.
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a interim rate increase for Maui Electric Company (MECO) last week that went into effect Sunday.
MECO applied for a permanent increase of 9.7 percent in September. While the PUC is still considering that application, they issued an interim decision allowing the company to raise rates for customers on Molokai, Maui and Lanai by 3.3 percent for a $10.3 million revenue increase.
The typical household on Molokai will pay $5.21 more per month, bringing the total monthly bill to $187.67, according to a release from MECO last week based on a monthly usage of 500 kilowatt hours. The typical household on Maui will now pay $186.02, while the typical household on Lanai will pay $196.87.
Over the past few weeks, many Molokai residents have received phone calls asking for their mana`o on about some hot-button issues around here – La`au Point, Molokai Ranch and windmills.
The State of Hawaii Energy Office requested the survey as part of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the upcoming undersea cable project.
“We [were] doing an informal telephone survey to obtain community feedback and to better understand Molokai’s community concern, especially the interisland wind issue,” said Alan Kam of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and who is managing the EIS contract.
Although some farmers have noted it has been a wet summer so far, the Molokai Irrigation System (MIS) Advisory Board and the Department of Agriculture (DOA) say the island is in a drought – and have taken action to protect the precious water supply.
Water usage increased this year – up 17 percent from last summer – but the Kualapu`u reservoir is holding steady at 16 feet. Duane Okamoto, deputy chair of the state DOA, said customers have used 894,329,000 gallons so far this year.
The MIS board held its quarterly meeting last week to discuss year-to-date revenue, water usage and maintenance updates.
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By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
I’ll be presenting the second in a series of orchid workshops around the island, this time in the heart of Kaunakakai at the Kaunakakai School cafeteria on Wednesday, August 4 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. It will be a three-part workshop, including two power point presentations and an oral presentation and display.
The first presentation is entitled Big Island Orchid Production, from Hakalau to Mountain View. We’ll make stops at some of the major orchid operations on the east side of the Big Island growing oncidiums, odontoglossums, miltonias, cattleya, vanda, dendrobium, phalaenopsis, and some real exotic orchids such as Lycastes and Zygopetalums. The second presentation is entitled Dendrobium Families. Dendrobiums are the largest family of orchids and contain over 1,000 species, and I will focus on some familiar, such as Phalaenopsis and Ceratobium and not-so-familiar ones, such as Latouria, Formosae, and Eugananthe, and how to grow these. I will discuss cultural techniques, media, nutrition, pest control, and repotting, and will include a Dendrobium orchid display. There will be plenty of time to ask those burning questions. We will end the night with a lucky number drawing for orchid plants, books, and growing supplies. The public is invited.
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Molokai’s water supply meets all federal and state safety standards, according to the annual Water Quality Report released this month by the county Department of Water Supply (DWS).
Tests conducted last year show safe levels of containments and do not raise any concerns, said Cari Sumabat, DWS laboratory supervisor. DWS tested Molokai’s three water systems – Kalae, Kaunakakai and Ualapue.
Contaminants that were found in the water were well below allowable limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For example, the Kalae system’s water contained 0.39 parts per million (ppm) of nitrate, while the EPA’s allowable limit is 10 ppm.
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By Kimberly Svetin
The Go Green Carbon Clean initiative on Molokai ends on August 1st. There is still time to exchange incandescent light bulbs for energy efficient CFLs at Kamoi Snack-n-Go and other participating businesses around Molokai..
Approximately 29,000 CFLs have been distributed by students, schools, churches, community groups and businesses since the start of this program in the spring. There are still thousands of bulbs left for distribution on the island, donated by Blue Planet Foundation. A number of Molokai families have already saved $10-20 per month on their MECO bills after trading all the bulbs in their homes. Please call Kamoi Snack-n-Go at 553-3742 for more information.
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