Molokai Meeting on Transfer of Wind Energy using Undersea Cables: Feb. 3, 2011

By Wendy Osher

Maalaea wind turbines at Kaheawa Wind Farm. File photo by Wendy Osher.

(Update: 6 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011)

A public scoping meeting takes place on Molokai tonight to discuss a project that plans to use undersea cables to transfer renewable energy to Oahu. The meeting comes on the heels of a separate Maui meeting held last night.

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) host the third in a series of public meetings to receive comments on the scope of the Hawai‘i Interisland Renewable Energy Program (HIREP): Wind Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS reviews possible environmental impacts that may arise from wind energy program development under the HIREP and the range of reasonable options.

TIME AND LOCATION: February 3, 2011 – Mitchell Pau‘ole Community Center, 90 ‘Ainoa Street, Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. From 5:30-6:30 p.m. there will be an open House with study area specialists to answer questions, followed by a facilitated town hall-style public comment period beginning at 6:30 p.m. and continuing until 9:00 p.m.

Both oral and written comments will be considered by DOE and DBEDT.

The next in the series of meetings takes place on Lanai on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at Lanai High and Elementary School Cafeteria, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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(Update: 6 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011)

A public scoping meeting takes place on Maui today to discuss a project that plans to use undersea cables to transfer renewable energy to Oahu. The proposed Hawaii Interisland Renewable Energy Program (HIREP) would produce renewable energy through wind turbines on Lanai and possibly Molokai as well.

The electricity generated could potentially displace about 15% of Oahu’s oil consumption; but the project has raised concerns among some who worry about the impact of the facility on the smaller islands. Efforts have also been made to assure some of the benefits realized on Oahu are balanced to include the neighbor islands.

Maui’s meeting runs from 5:30 to 9 tonight at the Pomaikai Elementary school cafeteria in Kahului.

The cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Hawaii proposes the generation of up to 400 MW of wind power. Future expansion of the program could include other types of renewable technologies.

Additional meetings are planned at the following dates and times:

• MOLOKAI: February 3, 2011: Mitchell Pauole Community Center, 90 Ainoa St., Kaunakakai, Molokai, from 5:30-9 p.m.

• LANAI: February 5, 2011: Lanai High and Elementary School Cafeteria, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Requests to speak should be made on or before January 28, 2011 by making a request to any of the following contacts: by email to [email protected]; submitting comments on the EIS web page at www.hirep-wind.com; by fax to (808) 586-2536 attn: Allen G. Kam; or by mail to: Allen G Kam, DBEDT Renewable Energy Branch, P.O. Box 2359, Honolulu HI 96804.