Reason to Celebrate!

On April 23rd, the Senate voted unanimously to pass  House Concurrent Resolution 189 that was introduced by Representative Mele Carroll.  Representative Carroll and her staff worked with I Aloha Molokai to draft the Resolution that requests that the Governor engage with the islands of Molokai and Lanai in energy planning.  The House expanded the Resolution to include all islands.  In the House hearings, Representatives made it clear that top down energy planning needed to end and that planning should be inclusive and done from the bottom up to include the ideas and sentiment of all island communities throughout the State.I Aloha Molokai worked with Friends of Lanai to develop this Resolution so that it could meet the needs of both islands.  IAM would like to thank the Legislature for hearing our voice and taking this first step to engage in better planning methods.  We will continue our work to insure that Molokai and Lanai remain free of industrial wind turbines and the undersea cable.  We are also actively working on energy alternatives for Molokai.

The Resolution below is taken from the www.capitol.hawaii.gov website.  Click the website link to track how this resolution worked its way through the House and Senate.  You can also view all of the testimony that was submitted regarding the Resolution.  A big THANK YOU to everyone who sent in their support!

 

 

YOUR TESTIMONY IS NEEDED TODAY BEFORE 2 PM!

The State of Hawaii House of Representatives joint committees on Energy and Environmental Protection and Consumer Protection and Commerce will be hearing HCR 189/HR 150.   This Resolution urges the Governor and Public Utilities Commission to seek alternatives to the windmills and undersea cable proposed for Molokai and Lanai.   A group of I Aloha Molokai members along with members of Friends of Lanai will be traveling to Oahu tomorrow to testify in person.  Please help us by emailing, faxing or calling in your testimony!  See below for the actual Legislative posting of this important Resolution.

A G E N D A

HCR 189 / HR 150Status / Status	URGING THE GOVERNOR AND THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO SEEK ALTERNATIVES TO THE INDUSTRIAL WIND GENERATION FACILITIES AND INTERISLAND HIGH-VOLTAGE UNDERSEA ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION CABLE SYSTEM PROPOSED FOR THE ISLANDS OF MOLOKAI AND LANAI.	EEP/CPC

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.  Testimony should indicate:

• Testifier’s name with position/title and organization;
• The Committee(s) to which the comments are directed;
• The date and time of the hearing; and
• Measure number.

While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may be distributed to the Committee after the hearing. Those wishing to provide oral testimony will be limited to three minutes.

Submit testimony in ONE of the following ways:

PAPER:  3 copies (including an original) to Room 443 in the State Capitol;

FAX:       For testimony less than 5 pages in length, transmit to 808-586-6481 (Oahu) or 1-800-535-3859 (for Neighbor Islander without a computer to submit testimony through the website); or

WEB:     For testimony less than 10MB in size, transmit from http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/submittestimony.aspx.

Testimony submitted will be placed on the legislative website after the hearing adjourns.  This public posting of testimony on the website should be considered when including personal information in your testimony.

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the House public hearing process (i.e., sign or foreign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-9450 or email your request for an interpreter to HouseInterpreter@Capitol.hawaii.gov at least 24 hours prior to the hearing for arrangements.  Prompt requests submitted help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.

Selected meetings are broadcast live.  Check the current legislative broadcast schedule on the “Capitol TV” website at www.capitoltv.org or call 536-2100.

________________________________________Rep. Angus L.K. McKelveyChair		________________________________________Rep. Chris LeeChair

Thursday, March 14th, 2013 By Molokai Dispatch Staff

March 30, 2013

Celebrate Our Way of Life

Feel the Beat in the Heart of Maunaloa

All are invited to come to IAM/Molokai Ranch’s community potluck celebration at Maunaloa Rec Center on Staurday, March 30th at 1 p.m.

With the Ranch’s decision to put a halt to the Big Wind Project, we celebrate the saving of our abundant Hawaiian Historical sites, the environment, the health of our people and the animals which share our ‘aina.

Bring your family, friends and your favorite dish or desert.  The main dishes of venison and lamb will be provided.

You are welcome to bring your musical instruments for some grass roots sharing of entertainment, kanikapila, Molokai style!

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View our latest film:  Perhaps

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Molokai Big Wind Deal Falls Apart

By Sophie Cocke 02/07/2013

Sophie Cocke/ Civil Beat

The owners of Molokai Ranch have backed out of plans to lease thousands of acres of land to a large-scale wind farm developer.

The decision likely spells the end for the Molokai portion of the Big Wind project, an ambitious plan to build about 70 wind turbines on both Molokai and Lanai and bring the electricity to Oahu via undersea cables.

Clay Rumbaoa, CEO of Molokai Properties Ltd., commonly known as Molokai Ranch, said in a statement to Civil Beat that the company has broken off negotiations with Molokai Renewables, the wind farm developer, and is focusing on its ranching operations instead…. read the full story

Films of IAM’s 2nd Annual Energy Festival are now available for viewing on the I Aloha Molokai Channel on YouTube. There are seven in all:

• Day 1 Part 1 – Opening Ceremony
• Day 1 Part 2 – Native American Dance from the Quechan tribe
• Day2 Part 1 – Opening Ceremonies
• Day2 Part 2 – Panel #1 Energy Experts
• Day 2 Part 3 – Native American Quechan Tribe Panel
• Day 2 Part 4 – Energy and Independence Panel
• Pay 2 Part 5 – Energy Alternatives for Molokai Panel

Mahalo to all who participated and attended!

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NO WIND TURBINES and NO CABLE

The message to HECO/MECO was clear No Wind Turbines and No Cable on Molokai and Lanai.

Over 40 people attended the Molokai meeting and many voiced their concern about the process. Represented were many IAM members. The signatures of thousands of Molokai residents, visitors to Molokai, and concerned individuals from around the world were submitted by IAM.   Click on the image above to view the film.

Mahalo to everyone who attended and support our efforts.

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Please check back regularly for updates.

Visit our Channel, watch our films, and subscribe.

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At last week’s OHA meeting, Kanoho Helm gave a presentation which included the IAM films on proposed windmill/undersea cable project. He also summarized the IAM opposition efforts and outlined the wider scope of IAM activity focusing on alternative energy sources for Molokai and community education.

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Report on Molokai Energy Future

We couldn’t have said it any better than  Henry Curtis has done in Life of the Lands’s Wayfinding: Navigating Hawai’i's Energy Future.

Chapter 7  – Moloka’i . presents a wealth of ideas for allowing Moloka’i to become energy independent.  Chapter 8 covers Lana’i.

Please click here to read what Henry has to say.

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