• No dairy on Mahaulepu • More on history of Hawaii • Thank you for the service, Councilman Jay Furfaro No dairy on Mahaulepu In 2009, the New Mexico Environment Department reported that two-thirds of the state’s 150 dairies were contaminating groundwater with
• No dairy on Mahaulepu • More on history of Hawaii • Thank you for the service, Councilman Jay Furfaro
No dairy on Mahaulepu
In 2009, the New Mexico Environment Department reported that two-thirds of the state’s 150 dairies were contaminating groundwater with excess nitrogen from cattle excrement. Either the lagoons were leaking, or manure was being applied too heavily on farmland.
Now Kauai must confront that same possible outcome. Not on barren, sagebrush covered terrain, but on a world renowned, exquisite, ecological, historic burial ground area with unique qualities found no where else in the world. That area is Mahaulepu, with streams running through it and beyond — a half mile — to a famous reef and the ocean.
There are other agricultural uses for this area that fit, but not one with a handful of jobs that Hawaii Dairy Farms has said locals are not qualified to handle (“limited dairy skills market” pp. 21 HDF 1st proposal”) and for providing milk of which they have sought permits to be sold internationally (“comply with international industry hygiene standards” pp. 23 HDF first proposal).
The land is apparently already contaminated with levels in the stream, as it reaches the Cave, being 200 times beyond safe limits. One significant contributor to the pollution appears to be the approximate 30-acre functioning Taro farm which HDF includes in the dairy property operation. It was found to be using chickens for fertilizing that area.
The Clean Water Act. (33 USC123.25 ) lists a 700 dairy cow equivalency of 82,000 laying hens when using a manure handling system other than liquid.
If a small group of chickens is seen as the possible source of the extraordinary levels of pollution in the Waiopili Stream as it reached the Cave, then we know two facts for certain. First: manure runoff from 700-2,000 dairy cows can not be contained on the property as required (HDF must have either a zero discharge or NPDES permit) but will — as it does so now — run off to the ocean. Second: 700-2,000 dairy cows (the last number being equivalent to a city of 100,000 in fecal material per day) will, with the first serious rain event, create a lasting mess that even Omidyar money can’t rectify.
Ronald John
Sacramento, California
More on history of Hawaii
Responding to the letter from Keokani Marciel, who has misconstrued the legal history and current legal status of Hawaii.
The Hawaiian revolution of Jan. 17, 1893, was done entirely by local residents. U.S. peacekeepers were present but not needed. Within two days, all local consuls sent letters recognizing the Provisional Government.
In 1894, a Constitutional Convention was held. The PG published the resulting constitution, creating the permanent Republic of Hawaii. President Dole asked local consuls to request their national governments to recognize the republic. During the fall of 1894, letters were received personally signed by emperors, kings, queens and presidents of at least 19 nations on four continents in 11 languages formally recognizing the republic as the rightful government of Hawaii with full status as the legal successor to the kingdom. Photos of those letters are at http://tinyurl.com/4wtwdz
In 1897, the Republic of Hawaii offered a Treaty of Annexation to the U.S. In 1898, the U.S. passed a joint resolution accepting that offer by votes of 42-21 in the Senate and 209-91 in the House, signed by President McKinley. Yes, the U.S. resolution was an internal U.S. law.
Every nation has a right to decide for itself whether to ratify a treaty and by what method. Of course, that’s an internal decision for each nation. Full text of the Treaty of Annexation can be seen, along with the dates and resolutions whereby Hawaii offered it and the U.S. accepted it, at http://tinyurl.com/2748fgg
Kenneth Conklin
Kaneohe
Thank you for the service, Councilman Jay Furfaro
Thank you for your many years of community and council service. For decades you have worked for a better island as an individual, a company leader or as an elected official. You have been fair and honest. You are a good man.
Thank you, Jay.
Edward MacDowell
Kapaa
