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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Marine Debris Field Dispersed  

Thursday, February 8th, 2018

Marine Debris Field Dispersed  

 

A large marine debris field was spotted last week in the Ka`iwi Channel between Oahu and Molokai last week, causing concern that it could bring an influx of rubbish to Molokai’s western shores. The mass of nets, ropes, buoys, crates and drums was first reported by a fishermen on Jan. 27, who estimated its size at about two nautical miles long. State and federal agencies confirmed the debris field and its possible path was tracked by University of Hawaii’s Dr. Nikolai Maximenko and his team at the International Pacific Research Center at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.…

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Kawa`aloa Beach Cleanup

Thursday, February 1st, 2018

Kawa`aloa Beach Cleanup

TNC News Release

The call went out on social media and 104 volunteers responded, removing 20 truckloads of marine debris at a Nature Conservancy (TNC) beach cleanup on Molokai.

Kawa`aloa Beach on the island’s northwest coast was the site of the cleanup, which took place on Jan. 13, the morning of the false North Korean missile alert.

The remote, crescent-shaped beach lies adjacent to the Conservancy’s Mo`omomi Preserve and is a hotspot for ocean debris that washes up on shore.  The debris includes plastic bottles and bags, rope, buoys, tires and cargo nets, among other items.

“We cleaned the beach for the turtles,” said Wailana Moses, TNC’s Molokai coordinator for the event.…

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Building a Future in Science

Wednesday, January 24th, 2018

Building a Future in Science

 

Molokai students are working on some groundbreaking science projects, from an app that helps repel deer and other unwanted animal intruders from your yard, to inventing a device that could play a huge role in the future of ocean science. Students at Molokai Middle and High schools and Aka`ula showcased their science projects last week at the Science Fair Family Night, as winners from school-wide competitions are preparing to move on to the Maui Regional Science and Engineering Fair next month. Hosted by Molokai LIVE and UPLINK programs, the event celebrated students’ application of science to real-world projects.

“This event is an opportunity for all students who completed their science boards to display and share their new-found knowledge with the community,” said Karen Weiss, one of the event organizers from Molokai LIVE. …

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Kalaupapa Flight Concerns

Friday, January 19th, 2018

Community Contributed

By Richard Miller

Editor’s note: The Kalaupapa community is circulating a petition for their voice to be heard in the selection of the airline that serves the peninsula through the federally awarded Essential Air Service subsidy. Makani Kai currently provides affordable flights to Kalaupapa through the EAS, however residents are concerned that may soon change. For more information or to sign the petition, email kahuricharducc@gmail.com, adlau@sof.org or rjm2429@gmail.com.

The Kalaupapa peninsula is a remote triangular shaped area jutting out of the north shore of the Hawaiian Island of Molokai.  The peninsula is surrounded on two sides by ocean, and on the third by the highest sea cliffs in the world.…

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Ferry System Not Feasible

Thursday, January 18th, 2018

A state ferry system is not feasible, and neither is bringing back the Molokai to Maui ferry, even though it may be needed, according to a recent study from the Department of Transportation.

After being tasked with conducting the study by the state Legislature in 2016, the DOT examined the technical, commercial and financial feasibility of several types of ferries in Hawaii. It looked at an inter-island ferry, an intra-county ferry between Molokai and Maui, and intra-island ferries between West Oahu and Honolulu and between West and Central Maui.

The study reviewed the controversial Superferry, which served Oahu, Maui and Kauai between 2007 to 2009, as well as the recently shut down Molokai Princess, which ended operation between Molokai and Maui in 2016, after claiming financial hardship.…

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Molokai Sea Level Rise Meeting

Friday, September 8th, 2017

DLNR News Release

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is holding its sixth public information meeting on sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation on Tuesday, Sept. 12 on Molokai.  The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Mitchell Pau`ole Community Center.

This meeting is one of a series of public information meetings being held statewide to educate people about the impacts of sea level rise and to gather comments and input about key issues and concerns regarding preparedness and adaptation.  The first meeting was held on Oahu last June, a second one in January on Kauai, a third one in March on Maui, and a four and fifth one on Hawaii Island in August.…

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Fridge Trade-In Program Underway

Friday, September 8th, 2017

Hawaii Energy News Release

Molokai’s Hui Up! program is now in full swing as families last week began trading in their older, energy-eating refrigerator units for new, low-cost ENERGY STAR®-certified models. Hawaii Energy supported the nonprofit organization Sust`aina ble Molokai in implementing the transformation and educational refrigerator exchange program, with generous help from Makoa Trucking Service, Servco Home and Appliance Distribution, and General Electric.

Dozens of families began dropping off their aging refrigerators at “Duke” Maliu Regional Park in Kaunakakai, and received brand new General Electric units which will help them significantly lower their electric utility bills. A total of 177 refrigerators will be delivered during this current trade-in opportunity.…

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Molokai Resident Assists with Harvey Storm Recovery

Friday, September 8th, 2017

Molokai Resident Assists with Harvey Storm Recovery

 

Molokai resident and Red Cross volunteer Lester Keanini is among 16 Hawaii Red Cross members deplayed to the mainland to assist with those devastated by Tropical Storm Harvey. Keanini is currently in Texas assisting with sheltering of the thousands of people who had to leave their homes during flooding.

Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers from all over the country are deployed to Texas and Louisiana. From Hawaii, Keanini joins  five volunteers from Hawaii Island, four from Maui, and six from Oahu who are assisting in relief efforts ranging from damage assessment, bulk distribution, sheltering, community partnerships, feeding and disaster mental health, according to the Hawaii Red Cross.…

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Ohana Reduces Molokai Flights

Friday, September 8th, 2017

 

Ohana by Hawaiian, an inter-island flight service of Hawaiian Airlines, will be reducing its flights to Molokai this month. Many residents say the changes will cause hardship for kupuna who need the wheelchair accessibility of Ohana’s larger aircraft not offered by the two other smaller  airlines serving Molokai.

“I’m concerned about ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliance, we don’t have the ferry,” said Rep. Lynn DeCoite of Molokai.  “My concern is now, do we have to airlift guys out of there?”

In addition to wheelchair accessibility, the smaller aircraft operated by  Mokulele Airlines and Makani Kai Air have weight limitations of 350 pounds maximum per passenger, so some residents are limited to travel on Ohana’s larger aircraft.…

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100% Renewable Energy for Molokai by 2020

Friday, April 7th, 2017

100% Renewable Energy for Molokai by 2020

Hawaiian Electric Companies has rolled out a statewide plan that sets a goal for Molokai of 100 percent renewable energy by 2020. Over the next three years, the electric utility is proposing 1.4 megawatts (MW) of additional photovoltaic energy to be added to the island’s existing 2.3 MW of energy coming from rooftop solar panels, as well as 5 MW of wind energy. The plan also calls for a transition to biofuel for “some” of the island’s 12 MW of energy currently being generated from diesel fuel.

“Molokai will serve as a blueprint to increase the cost-effective use of renewables for the remainder of the state and help us obtain real–world experience in running an island grid with 100 percent renewable energy,” states the report, filed with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) last December and recently presented at the fourth annual Maui Energy Conference.…

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