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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Storm Brings Heavy Rain, No Severe Damages for Molokai

Wednesday, December 15th, 2021

Storm Brings Heavy Rain, No Severe Damages for Molokai

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Torrential rains last Sunday night into Monday caused flash flooding, cancellation of Molokai public schools on Monday, flight cancellations and delays, and roadways to be dangerous due to flooding. The “Kona low” weather conditions across the state brought overnight power outages to Honolulu, downed trees, home damages and dangerous flooding, and Gov. Ige declared a state of emergency for Hawaii. However Molokai only experienced brief power outages and moderate flooding but no severe damages. 

A cargo container blew into two Mokulele planes while they were tied down for the night in Honolulu, causing delays in addition to those caused by poor weather conditions.…

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Monsanto Pleads Guilty to Illegal Pesticide Use

Wednesday, December 15th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Last week, Monsanto company agreed to plead guilty for previous charges including illegal pesticide storage on Molokai and using banned pesticides on Maui, along with new charges of knowingly using pesticides inconsistent with its labeling on Oahu, according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice. Court documents filed last Thursday in United States District Court in Honolulu include a deferred prosecution agreement related to a felony count of unlawfully storing an acute hazardous waste at its Molokai facility in 2013-2014. Monsanto will pay more than $22 million in fines. 

Monsanto admitted to spraying a glufosinate product sold under the brand name Forfeit 28 in 2020 in Haleiwa “a manner inconsistent with its labeling,” according to court documents.…

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Molokai’s Kākāwahie: A Lost Species

Wednesday, December 8th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Blazing orange feathers flash among ‘ohia foliage of Molokai’s lower forests. The bird’s “chip chip chip” call is punctuated with its beak tapping on branches looking for insects, which it also finds deep within liko lehua, or buds. 

This is the kākāwahie, or Molokai creeper, an endemic bird found only on Molokai. But it isn’t a sight or sound we can ever experience. The kākāwahie hasn’t been seen since 1963, and it’s about to be declared extinct.

“It has been such a long time since the kākāwahie graced the lowland forests of Molokai that perhaps no one in living memory can say what the bird looked like, or recall its song,” said Sam Gon, a scientist and cultural practitioner at The Nature Conservancy Hawaii.…

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More Bovine TB Found on Molokai – UPDATED MEETING INFO

Monday, December 6th, 2021

Bovine tuberculosis has again been detected on Molokai after cases were confirmed earlier this year – this time in pigs in West Molokai, according to the Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture (HDOA) on Sunday, Dec. 5.

In June, Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) was found in a herd of cattle in central Molokai in June. The infected cow was originally from a beef cattle herd in Ho`olehua and was temporarily pastured in Mapulehu on the east end because of the ongoing drought, the HDOA previously stated. The herd was depopulated with federal indemnity, which compensates farmers for this type of loss.

Subsequently, bTB was detected in two additional cattle herds in the Ho’olehua area that were adjacent and in close contact with the first infected herd, according to the HDOA.…

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County Bill Bans Non-Mineral Sunscreens

Wednesday, November 24th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

The sale, distribution and use of non-mineral sunscreens could soon be prohibited on Molokai, Maui and Lanai as part of Bill 135, which was recently passed unanimously by the Maui County Council. 

Introduced by County Councilmember Kelly Takaya King, chair of the Council’s Climate Action, Resilience, and Environment Committee, Bill 135 recognizes that many non-mineral sunscreens have been shown to pose a direct threat to the health of coastal waters, coral reefs and other marine species.

Non-mineral sunscreens include chemical sunscreens such as oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are known as “mineral sunscreens,” and of the 16 active ingredients currently used as UV filters in sunscreen products, only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are generally recognized as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration. …

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Hawaiian Electric Goal: 70% Carbon Reduction by 2030

Wednesday, November 17th, 2021

Hawaiian Electric News Release

Stressing the urgency of the global effort to slow climate change, Hawaiian Electric has set a goal to cut carbon emissions from power generation 70 percent by 2030. 

Cutting emissions from power generation by 70 percent, compared with 2005 levels, would provide a significant portion of the reduction the entire Hawaii economy needs to meet the U.S. target of cutting carbon emissions by at least 50 percent economy wide by 2030. The reduction includes generation owned by Hawaiian Electric and independent power producers who sell electricity to the utility. 

Hawaiian Electric has also committed to achieving net zero or net negative carbon emissions from power generation by 2045 or sooner, meaning that if there are any emissions, they will be captured or offset. …

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Emergency Proclamation to Help with Drought Funding

Wednesday, November 17th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

In the second year of a severe drought that has dealt a blow to local farmers and ranchers, many on Molokai can attest to the damage that hungry deer have wrecked on their gardens, homesteads, pastures and crops. The governor just signed a second emergency proclamation that will help with funding to cover damages, said Sen. Lynn DeCoite of Molokai, who pushed for a renewal of a drought proclamation issued in January of this year, which expired after 60 days. 

“This proclamation helps open pathways for a swift response by all levels of government — County, State and Federal — along with private land owners to address the dire deer situation that has continued to be a public health and safety concern across Maui County,” wrote Sen.…

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Energy Coop Gets Support for $7.5M Loan

Thursday, November 11th, 2021

Ho’ahu Energy Coop News Release

Ho’ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai, a local group formed to build community-owned energy projects for community benefits, received initial support for a state loan of $7.5 million to fund a 2.75 megawatt solar and battery storage project the Coop is proposing on Molokai. For those looking to calculate the interest on such loans, tools like the simple interest calculator can be quite useful.

The board of the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA) met virtually on Oct. 27 to hear the proposal from Hoʻahu President Todd Yamashita and co-development partner, Ali Andrews of Shake Energy Collaborative. At that meeting, the board voted to set aside $7.5 million from their Green Energy Market Securitization (GEMS) Program for Hoʻahu’s Community-based Renewable Energy (CBRE) solar and battery storage project.…

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Art of Trash and Trashion Show

Thursday, November 11th, 2021

Malama Maui Nui News Release

Malama Maui Nui is excited to announce that submissions are now being accepted for The Art of Trash and Trashion Show slated to open in April 2022 at MMNui.org/ArtOfTrash! If you haven’t already done so, start creating now! Submissions close Feb. 1, 2022.

The Art of Trash Exhibition and Trashion Show are annual, juried events that inspire community members to reimagine our resources, such as previously used materials, as elements for creative inspiration. All pieces are original work made from recycled and/or reused material. 

Residents of Molokai, along with Maui and Lanai, are invited to create art pieces for the Exhibition and/or fashion pieces for the Trashion Show.…

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Sea Level Rise Adaptation Workshops This Week

Thursday, November 11th, 2021

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release

Don’t forget to join a walk-thru, COVID-friendly, workshop in your moku (district) to see firsthand Molokai’s maps forecasting areas that will be inundated from rising seas! The sea level is expected to rise approximately 4.07 feet in Hawaii before the end of 2100 if we continue to operate business as usual. Sust’ainable Molokai is leading the planning process to ensure that our community is prepared to adapt to this already occurring and ongoing change.

Molokai is the first island in the County to develop a plan for the effects of sea level rise — the Molokai Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise Adaptation and Resiliency Master Plan.…

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