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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

County to Consider Public Ferry

Wednesday, July 5th, 2023

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

A feasibility study to consider a Maui County-owned ferry system is slated to be completed in the next year. Lanai Councilmember Gabe Johnson, who has spearheaded the initiative, said $300,000 has been budgeted for the study for this fiscal year that will determine options for how ferries between Molokai, Maui and Lanai could be run, how much it would cost, where the funding might come from, and other variables. 

He pointed to how Maui’s public bus transportation is operated, with the buses owned by Maui County and operated under a contract with Roberts Hawaii. He said a similar arrangement for the ferry service might be an option. …

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Sustainability Speaker Series

Wednesday, July 5th, 2023

Maui County News Release 

The County of Maui Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division will host the second installment of its speaker series “Sustainability Together: Community-led Regenerative Action” on July 10 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Molokai Community Health Center. The event will be streamed live on Akaku Maui Community Media Channel 54.

Panelists at the July 10 event include Molokai Homestead representatives, community organizer and solar energy technician Todd Yamashita, Leilani Chow of Sustʻainable Molokai, Keaʻa Davis of Shake Energy Collaborative and Harumi McClure of Haru Energy.

In the second of the four-part speaker series, participants will gain insights into the household-level impacts of energy insecurity and how different communities have successfully mobilized to build resilience through the use of renewable solar energy.…

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County Seeks Feedback on Wetlands Map

Wednesday, July 5th, 2023

Maui County News Release

Molokai residents are being asked to weigh in on the creation of a Maui County wetlands map during a public meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at the Mitchell Pauole Community Center conference room in Kaunakakai.

Facilitated by the county’s Planning Department, University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program and consultant H. T. Harvey and Associates, the meeting will gather ideas from the community to help prepare the first draft of the overlay map.

As part of a new county law to restore and protect wetlands, titled Ordinance 5421, planning officials are working on a comprehensive wetlands overlay map that will identify existing and future wetland areas.…

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Ho’ahu Awarded Energy Grant

Wednesday, July 5th, 2023

Ho’ahu Energy Cooperation Molokai (HECM) was one of four organizations nation-wide to receive funding under the Energy Storage for Social Equity (ES4SE) Initiative. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) funding will assist Ho’ahu deploying residential islanded solar and battery storage nano-grids to 15 households in the Molokai community. ES4SE will support a BESS, inverter and controls, remote monitoring equipment, and look at ways to partner with HECM’s workforce development program.

ES4SE is designed to empower disadvantaged communities to consider energy storage technologies as a viable path toward achieving their energy goals.

“These organizations are fully engaged with ES4SE to find energy storage solutions in their communities,” said Gene Rodrigues, assistant secretary for electricity.…

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Molokai Subsistence Survey

Wednesday, June 28th, 2023

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release 

The Molokai Subsistence Survey from 1993 shows important informated about how residents get their food. Now, Sust’ainable Molokai is conducting an update to that survey. Please consider taking between five and 30 minutes to complete the 2023 Molokai Subsistence Study Update. All English-speaking Molokai residents over the age of 18 are eligible to complete the survey. The survey can be found online at sustainablemolokai.org/subsistence or can be completed in person at community events or at the Sustʻainable Molokai office. 

In 1993, the governor commissioned the Molokai Subsistence Task Force to study subsistence on Molokai. The study found that the average Molokai family got 28 percent of their food from subsistence activities like hunting, fishing, gathering from the ocean, and raising animals.…

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Molokai’s First Community Solar Project Nears Completion

Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Molokai’s First Community Solar Project Nears Completion

By Jack Kiyonaga, Reporter

An array of solar panels anchored into the stoney ground near Kawela Plantation represent Molokai’s first completed community solar project. While not online yet, Molokai residents can now sign up for community solar. 

Community based renewable energy (CBRE) is a program through Hawaiian Electric that allows residents the benefits of solar power without having to own solar panels, which is especially beneficial for renters or those who can’t install their own rooftop system. Normally, solar panels are installed by electricians like Las Vegas Electrician on individual homes, requiring homeowners to make an upfront investment and manage maintenance.…

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Kupu Seeks Conservation Leaders

Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Kupu News Release 

Applications are open for the Conservation Leadership Development Program (CLDP) through Kupu, Hawaii’s leading conservation and environmental education nonprofit.  The organization also announced monthly living stipend will be raised to $2,560 for Hawaii residents and $2,320 for US Pacific residents for the 11-month term. Conservation programs on Molokai are among the host sites. 

Recent high school graduates, college graduates and young professionals looking to establish a career in conservation are strongly encouraged to apply. The application deadline is June 30.

The raise in living stipend, in addition to health insurance and education and career benefits, means CLDP participants will earn a compensation package valued up to $36,000 while addressing urgent conservation needs and jump-starting a career path.…

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Join Hoʻahu Energy to Interview Solar Contractors

Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Ho’ahu Energy News Release

Hoʻahu Energy Cooperative Molokai, a grassroots group formed in 2020 to support community-owned energy projects, invites you to join us for our next virtual workshop on Saturday, June 24 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

The workshop continues Hoʻahu’s work to co-design two solar and battery storage projects under Hawaiian Electric’s Community Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) program. Hoʻahu was awarded contracts for these projects by the utility earlier this year and is now in the engineering and interconnection studies phase.

At this meeting on June 24, we will be interviewing potential contractors for Hoʻahu to hire for the installation of the solar and battery projects.…

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Molokai Subsistence Study Update

Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release

Did you know that in 1993, 28 percent of the food Molokai families ate came from subsistence activities like hunting, fishing, gathering from the ocean, and raising animals? For Native Hawaiian families, 38 percent of food came from subsistence (Matsuoka et al, 1994). 

This summer, Sustʻainable Molokai will conduct a research study to update this information. A survey will be launched in late June 2023 and will be available online and in person at community events. All English-speaking Molokai residents over the age of 18 will be eligible to complete the survey. The survey will take between five and 30 minutes.…

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Hawaiian Bobtail Squid

Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Hawaiian Bobtail Squid

Community Contributed

By Hannah Osland

If you are ever wandering around the reef flats along the south shore at night, you may come across a small animal in the water that looks like a baby squid or octopus. This animal might actually be a Hawaiian bobtail squid — a bobtail squid, not a he‘e — and is about the size of your thumb. They appear reddish or brownish in color, have large eyes, eight arms and two feeding tentacles. At first glance, these little bobtail squids may appear unassuming, but they have a special relationship with a glowing bacteria called, Vibrio fischeri, that live inside their bodies.…

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