Utility Scale Wind Farms on Molokai and Lanai

This proposal for wind farms is not just asking the residents of Molokai and Lanai to sacrifice their legacy and their land. It asks the taxpayers of the State of Hawaii and U.S. to pay a billion dollar-plus bill for what ultimately is a direct transfer of local wealth through our state regulated utilities to investors on the mainland.
 
Today, any project such as this must be based on a sound financial business plan in order to produce said promise of future economic opportunity, as well as to compensate for actual environmental damage and harm.

However, what we see being proposed makes no sense, economically or otherwise. We see no application of scientific rigor or financial prudence.  We see an attempt by misguided elected representatives, lobbied by special interests, to get the Hawaii to support the efforts of a few. The wind farm initiative is based on a misguided interpretation of the term “sustainability,” to transfer both the legacy and future wealth of the residents of Molokai and Lanai to executives on Oahu and their mainland investors.
 
The people of Lanai and Molokai are not against progress, nor against windmills, nor against solar panels.  If the people of Oahu want windmills, fine.  Put ’em on Oahu.
 
We are against get rich schemes that put the short term desires of the greedy and ill-conceived profiteers ahead of the needs and long term interests of themselves, their children, and in this case the people of Hawaii.
 
We are for the restoration of our coral reef and coastal waters, the management of erosion and the reduction of run-off, and the replenishment of our aquifer and watershed through the replanting of our decimated forests.

Sam Epstein
Executive Director, Maui Media Lab