Hawaii
Hawaii PUC denies Hu Honua Bioenergy motions for reconsideration
![Hawaii PUC denies Hu Honua Bioenergy motions for reconsideration](https://biomassmagazine.com/uploads/posts/web/2022/06/resize/Hawaii_16565532285378-300x300-noup.jpeg)
The Hawaii Public Utilities Fee on June 24 denied motions for reconsideration filed by Hawaii Electrical Gentle Co. Inc. (HELCO) and Hu Honua Bioenergy LLC asking the company to rethink its Could 23 rejection of an amended energy buy settlement (PPA) between the 2 entities.
Hu Honua Bioenergy is the developer of a virtually full 30 megawatt (MW) biomass energy plant in Hawaii. Work to develop the biomass-fired energy challenge has been ongoing for greater than a decade, with improvement of the challenge practically full since at the least mid-2020.
The power is positioned on the website of the previous Hilo Coast Energy Co. in Pepeekeo, Hawaii, which is positioned close to the jap shoreline of Hawaii’s huge island. A sugar mill was developed on the website in 1857. An influence facility was added to the location in 1972 and was fired with sugarcane bagasse till sugar manufacturing resulted in 1994. The ability facility continued to function via 2004 however was fired with coal fairly than bagasse. Hu Honau started work to refurbish the plant to supply biomass-based power greater than a decade in the past, with plans to gas the power with regionally grown biomass, together with eucalyptus.
The PUC accredited a PPA between HELCO and Hu Honua in late 2013. The challenge nonetheless confronted improvement delays and authorized challenges. HELCO introduced plans to terminate that PPA in 2016 because of these delays. Hu Honua in 2017 introduced that it had reached an settlement with HELCO for an amended PPA, which was accredited by the PUC later that 12 months. The PPA was quickly challenged by an environmental group. The authorized problem reached the Hawaii Supreme Courtroom, and the courtroom in 2019 rejected the PPA, ruling that the PUC was required to expressly contemplate the discount of GHG emissions in its determination making. In June 2019, the PUC re-opened a docket associated to the PPA. In mid-2022 the PUC issued an order figuring out that HELCO had not sufficiently supported its request for a waiver of the aggressive bidding course of for the Hu Honua facility. Such a waiver had beforehand been accredited for the challenge, however the PUC concluded that that approval had been voided by the Supreme Courtroom ruling. Authorized and regulatory wrangling over the PPA continued via the spring of 2022, with the PUC handing down its determination to disclaim the amended PPA on Could 23.
Hu Honua Bioenergy filed a movement for reconsideration on June 2, arguing that the rejection has a detrimental impression on the corporate’s important property curiosity; that the rejection will trigger the lack of a whole lot of jobs and thousands and thousands of {dollars} in tax income; and that the rejection will end result within the continued and extended use of excessive quantities of costly and price-volatile imported oil.
Hawai’i Electrical Gentle Co. additionally filed a movement for reconsideration on June 2, calling the PUC’s rejection “unreasonable, illegal and inaccurate on quite a lot of factors.” The corporate particularly claims that the denial exceeds the scope of the remand from the Hawai’i Supreme Courtroom in HELCO I and Helco II; by basically figuring out that the Hu Honua challenge should be carbon detrimental, establishes a brand new authorized customary for GHG emission that’s past the scope of relevant legislation as has been utilized to different initiatives; consists of quite a lot of incorrect factual assertions that are inconsistent with the file; and incorrectly states that the fee lacks authority to implement circumstances towards Hu Honua, which might make sure that such circumstances are, in reality, binding.
The PUC on June 24 denied these motions for reconsideration and closed the docket. A full copy of the denial will be downloaded from the PUC web site.
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Hawaii
Obituaries for July 2
![Obituaries for July 2](https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/wp-content/themes/tribuneherald/images/logo.png)
Paul David Chang, 69, of Kailua-Kona died June 16 at home. Born in Hilo, he was a land manager for Puuwaawaa Ranch. Services at a later date. Survived by wife, Patricia Warhola of Kailua-Kona; daughter, Grace Chang of Kailua-Kona; son, Glen (Shaniah) Chang of Germany; brother, Lawrence (Paulette) Chang of Waikoloa; a granddaughter; a nephew; cousins. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Hawaii
Hawaii police arrest two men with loaded gun and rifle on Oprah Winfrey's property – Times of India
![Hawaii police arrest two men with loaded gun and rifle on Oprah Winfrey's property – Times of India](https://static.toiimg.com/thumb/msid-111419689,width-1070,height-580,imgsize-21050,resizemode-75,overlay-toi_sw,pt-32,y_pad-40/photo.jpg)
According to the statement released by the state department of land and natural resources, both men were arrested on June 21 just before midnight when the officers found them using a hunting spotlight on the road.
Although the men were not caught in the act of hunting, the state reported that officers found a loaded shotgun and a loaded rifle in their vehicle. The road where they were apprehended is surrounded by Winfrey’s ranch, according to AP.
The suspects were arrested on various charges, including hunting on private property without permission and lacking a hunting license. Additionally, one of the men was arrested for possessing an unregistered semi-automatic rifle.
Maui and other Hawaiian islands are currently grappling with an overwhelming population of invasive axis deer, reported AP.
County officials stated that the case will be reviewed by Maui County prosecutors to determine if charges will be filed. Records indicate that the men have been released pending the outcome of the investigation.
Hawaii
HDOT to install 5 speed tables on Honoapiilani Highway
WAILUKU, Hawaii — Community concerns about speeding in Waikapu and Wailuku have led to a project to install five speed tables on Honoapiilani Highway (Route 30) in the area of Maui Tropical Plantation and Kolo Place starting July 8.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation announced work will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 8 to July 12. One lane will be closed in either direction during the installation with closures approximately 1,000 feet within project limits, according to a news release. Crews will direct traffic in both directions, alternating traffic in the remaining lane.
Speed table locations:
- Mile marker 0.45 near Wailuku Elementary School in the area of Keanu Street and Kolo Place
- Mile marker 2.09 in the area of Waiolu Place and Pilikana Street
- Mile marker 2.27 in the area of Wilikona Place and Waiko Road
- Mile marker 2.38 in the area of Lehuapueo Place and Wilikona Place
- Mile marker 2.55 near Maui Tropical Plantation in the area of Olo Place and Ololi Place
Honoapiilani Highway near Wailuku Elementary School is a school zone and will have a posted speed limit of 20 mph. The other speed table locations will have a speed limit of 30 mph.
Traffic-calming devices such as raised crosswalks, speed tables and speed humps are a physical reminder to motorists to reduce speed when entering residential and school areas.
HDOT has been gathering data on speed reduction and vehicle crashes in areas with traffic-calming devices. For areas with sufficient post-construction data, officials say the number of motorists exceeding the posted speed limit was reduced by an average of 47%.
The data on major crashes (i.e. crashes resulting in an injury or property damage of $3,000 or more) is shown in the table:
(Graphic courtesy of Hawaii Department of Transportation)
The public can view past and planned installations of traffic-calming devices on the HDOT Safety Improvement Map.
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