LIHU’E — There is no dispute that numbers of two species of endangered seabirds known to nest on Kaua’i have been declining annually since Hurricane ‘Iniki. There is also no dispute that both Newell’s Shearwater and Dark-Rumped Petrel birds have
LIHU’E — There is no dispute that numbers of two species of endangered seabirds known to nest on Kaua’i have been declining annually since Hurricane ‘Iniki.
There is also no dispute that both Newell’s Shearwater and Dark-Rumped Petrel birds have been discovered dead or injured underneath or near power lines on this island.
There is much disagreement, though, over whether lines strung from 110-foot-tall (and shorter) poles around the Isenberg Tract subdivision could pose threats to birds protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. There’s also argument over the cause or causes of declining populations of the endangered birds on Kaua’i.
District wildlife biologist Tom Telfer of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife said recent radar studies (1999 and 2000) show endangered birds flying seaward to feed and live are no lower than 225 feet above the ground in areas two miles from the ocean, as at Isenberg.
The state Public Utilities Commission will receive written testimony until Feb. 3 on Kaua’i Electric’s application to install a 69-kilovolt (69,000 volts) overhead line from its Lihu’e Energy Service Center site near Ma’alo Road in Kapaia to existing lines near the intersection of ‘Ehiku and Kanakolu streets in Isenberg Tract.
The project requires commission approval.
At a public hearing Tuesday at Lihu’e Neighborhood Center, about 25 people showed up. Ten spoke – five against the project, four in favor of it, and consumer advocate Gregg J. Kinkley promised a full examination of the application before rendering the state Division of Consumer Advocacy’s position.
Denny Polosky, Kaua’i Electric manager, said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service didn’t express any concerns over bird safety in the area of the lines. But those speaking against the application said even if one bird died or was injured after striking the line or a pole, that is one too many and a violation of federal law.
Dr. Carl Berg, a professional ecologist, said he was speaking for the 65,000 known Shearwaters, and that the line is not in their best interest.
Berg’s comments came after Kris Nakata, executive director of the Kaua’i Economic Development Board, said she was representing the organization’s 50 member businesses with 7,000 employees and strongly in favor of Kaua’i Electric’s proposal.
“I don’t believe that it’s going to be a significant problem to Shearwaters,” said Telfer, who has reviewed KE’s application and environmental impact statement for the energy service center.
Telfer said problems in the birds’ food supplies (either foul organisms, the food supply moving further from the island, or other issues) are a more likely cause of population declines than collision with lines or poles.
“The large, large majority of them fly much higher than those power lines,” and the proposed line runs parallel to the direction most of the birds fly, Telfer said. “It’s where bright lights are in association with power lines where the birds seem to have a problem.
“There may be a small number of birds affected by it, but we have a lot of high-tension power lines on this island that are much more of a hazard, because they cross major valleys like Wailua River bridge close to the ocean.”
It’s near the water “where most of the problems exist, because the birds drop altitude as much as they can real close to the ocean,” Telfer explained. Inland, they won’t be flying low unless they’re young birds attracted to the lights, he said.
To shut the Kaua’i Electric project down because of a possibility birds will hit the lines “is probably an overstatement of the intent of the Endangered Species Act,” Telfer said.
But Berg called for KE to run the line underground, and for the Public Utilities Commission to suspend action on the application until KE and the Fish and Wildlife Service discuss mitigative measures. He said the line would be built in a known flight path for the birds.
Kinkley pledged to learn if there is an immediate need for the line for the provision of reliable electric service, whether the project is the best alternative to meet that need, and if there is a more cost-effective means.
Proposed costs will be examined to gauge potential impact on consumers’ electric rates, Kinkley said.
Berg said an international seabird group is threatening to sue the federal government for not enforcing the Endangered Species Act.
Patrick M. Cockett, who lives in Isenberg Tract, said the death or injury of just one member of an endangered species as a result of the proposed power line would be against the law and an illegal “take” as defined in the act.
The act defines “take” as harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect any endangered species, Cockett said in asking the commission to defer action on the application.
Stanley Oana of Hanama’ulu said he supports the application.
“We believe Kaua’i Electric has become a good neighbor to Hanama’ulu,” said Oana, pointing out that KE obliged when the community asked that a KE substation along Kuhio Highway be removed.
Rebecca Sialana, a KE retiree, said she is concerned for the birds, but more concerned about reliability of electrical service. She urged the commission not to delay approval of the application.
“This is an ill-conceived plant,” said Marge Freeman of the Kaua’i Sierra Club, speaking of the energy service center. “And the lines will make it worse. This is the wrong place” for the plant, but at a minimum the line should be buried to avoid “horrible visual impacts.”
Gabriela Taylor of Kapa’a said she is against the line project for many reasons, including the birds. And Paul Lucas, of the Kaua’i Renewable Energy Coalition, said that with proper management of customer demand, neither the plant nor lines would both be needed.
The plant and lines are “totally unnecessary and unsightly,” Lucas said.
Alton Miyamoto, Kaua’i Electric’s manager of strategic planning, said the line is necessary to accommodate future production facilities which will support KE operations for many decades. He also said the Utilities Commission and the Kaua’i County Planning Commission approved construction of the service center.
“This transmission line is a critical component of the project that will enable KE to meet the growing energy needs of the Kaua’i community,” Miyamoto said.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
