LIHU‘E — Members of the Kaua‘i County Council had a number of specific questions regarding criteria considered in the siting of a new landfill at the Umi site near Kalaheo posed to the administration and its consultant Wednesday: — Criteria
LIHU‘E — Members of the Kaua‘i County Council had a number of specific questions regarding criteria considered in the siting of a new landfill at the Umi site near Kalaheo posed to the administration and its consultant Wednesday:
— Criteria No. 1, population density near the site, was weighted nine and awarded four points for sites with less than 25 people per square mile living within one-half mile of the site. Brian Takeda of the Honolulu-based design, engineering and management firm R.M. Towill Corp. said there was nothing “magical” about the half-mile limit but said it was a good “rule of thumb” to evaluate the impacts of wind-blown litter and odor. Five of the seven sites scored four in the criteria.
— Criteria No. 3, displacement of residences or business, was weighted seven and awarded three points for no displacement. The Umi site was described as having no displacement despite Kaua‘i Coffee’s presence. Takeda said the number of employees impacted was not entered into the criteria but that the “potential destruction of a business” will be evaluated through a socio-economic impact assessment.
— Criteria No. 18, haul distance from major municipal solid waste generation areas, was weighted nine and awarded between one and three points based on each site’s distance from the closest refuse transfer station. Umi, 4.2 miles from the Hanapepe Refuse Transfer Station, was among four sites scored three. The Kekaha Mauka site, which finished second in overall score, just eight points behind Umi, scored one point because it is 11.3 miles from the same transfer station.
— Criteria No. 26, landfill capacity or site life, was weighted eight and awarded one point for an expected life of less than 25 years and three points for an expected life of more than 25 years. While the Umi side had the shortest estimated years of capacity (28) and others ranged up to 40, all seven potential sites scored the same, effectively giving the category a net result of zero.
— The Kumukumu site between Kapa‘a and Anahola was removed from the list due to “incompatibility” after the landowner had its zoning designation changed from Agricultural to Agricultural Subdivision Development. County Engineer Donald Fujimoto said the county was facing potential legal action if it continued to consider the property a potential landfill site.
Fujimoto said the study was done to show that the selection is not arbitrary, and said the administration stands behind the process and the study’s results.
The council voted unanimously to receive the informational communication for the record, withholding judgment and action until a later date. Council Chair Bill “Kaipo” Asing said his intention is to draft a return communication with questions for the administration to answer.
