Residents in and out of Hanama’ulu are questioning Kaua’i County’s tentative plan to build a new landfill near Hanama’ulu. The tentative location, located toward the island’s interior past Kalepa Ridge, is less than a mile from residential areas of Hanama’ulu,
Residents in and out of Hanama’ulu are questioning Kaua’i County’s tentative plan to build a new landfill near Hanama’ulu.
The tentative location, located toward the island’s interior past Kalepa Ridge, is less than a mile from residential areas of Hanama’ulu, though likely would not be visible from Kuhio Highway.
Even some Hanama’ulu residents who expressed support for the Kaua’i Electric Lihu’e Energy Service Center under construction off Ma’alo Road in neighboring Kapaia have questions about locating a new dump near their community.
Ted Inouye, a retired state Department of Health employee, thinks the county should pursue the Kekaha site, named the most suitable by consultants hired by the county to find a new landfill location.
The Kekaha site is near an existing landfill and far away from residences, he said.
Inouye has concerns about groundwater and potential water contamination regarding the proposed location near Kalepa Ridge. He said he is sure state health officials and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will fully investigate before possibly approving the new site.
Inouye also hopes the county won’t name the landfill after Hanama’ulu. That would give the former plantation town a bad connotation, he said.
“Why on Earth aren’t we striving for no landfill?” asked Don Heacock, a Hanama’ulu resident and an aquatic biologist with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
His no-landfill sentiment is shared by others who think that with more aggressive recycling and waste diversion efforts, a new landfill wouldn’t be necessary.
The fact that the county would consider an area near Hanama’ulu for the site of a new landfill indicates to the Rev. Roy “Rocky” Sasaki of Hanama’ulu “that government has very little respect for Hanama’ulu community people.”
Much of the community is Filipino, and they tend to be very accepting of what government plans for them and areas near their homes, Sasaki said.
“To me, it’s a real slap in the face,” he said.
Sasaki and others fought against the Kaua’i Electric power plant, and they feel the landfill site would add insult to injury.
“I just feel that (government officials are) so insensitive to the people in Hanama’ulu,” said Sasaki, adding he hopes other Kauaians will speak out for Hanama’ulu people.
During public meetings and hearings regarding the power plant, cries of environmental discrimination were heard in complaints that the plant location was calculated for an area where there would be little community opposition because of the ethnic and socioeconomic makeup of that community — Hanama’ulu.
The same concerns have been raised regarding the possible placement of a new landfill near Hanama’ulu.
“I pray that decision-makers will be responsible enough to locate the landfill where it won’t impact people,” Sasaki said.
The new owner of 400 acres of former sugar cane land stretching from near Hanama’ulu Beach Park toward Wailua Golf Course has hired consultants to determine if it poses any concerns or risks which could impact plans for a residential and golf course development, said attorney Walton Hong, one of the developer’s Kaua’i representatives.
The proposed Ocean Bay Plantation at Hanama’ulu would be located on the ocean side of Kuhio Highway.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
