Towering windmills a blight on the environment

It’s time to stop pitting our islands against each, but unfortunately, the controversy over industrial wind energy is doing just that.

Although we’re opposed to the construction of windmills on Molokai, our reasons have nothing to do with an expectation that Oahu should be energy independent ("Wind energy projects draw community criticism," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 12). For most of us, we have ohana living all over the state. So what is pono for one is pono for all.

For Molokai, the construction of windmills towering more than 450 feet will irreversibly change the rural and serene nature of Molokai, resulting in an industrial zone with oversized new roads, blighted landscape and a commercial harbor. The destruction of habitat will alter life for irreplaceable Molokai wildlife, including the endangered Hawaiian owl, and will kill and maim many birds native to the island.

The destruction of Molokai reef and intrusion into the migration zone of whales caused by placement of an undersea cable will result in further habitat destruction of Hawaiian fish, shellfish, coral and other marine species.

Instead, we welcome increasing rooftop photovoltaics and solar hot water and urge the implementation of more fiscally responsible energy efficiency and energy conservation measures throughout our state.

Rooftop solar is distinguished by being made of small solar panels that are silent, do not destroy the contour of the landscape, and don’t require major infrastructure changes to install them. In addition, they are easily replaced as technology improves, and can be replaced piecemeal.

The experience in Hawaii and California is that broken, outmoded windmills are not removed when defunct and remain as permanent eyesores, no matter what developers say when they install them. They are just too expensive to remove and there is no financial incentive to do so.

The unnecessary and outrageous cost of this project, estimated at billions of dollars, will be borne by ratepayers and accompanied by taxpayer subsidies to corporations, supporting a plan that is not financially sound and burdens our people.

In truth, the reason rooftop solar has not been universally adopted in Hawaii, the most sunny of states, is that it will be less profitable for the developers like Pattern Energy, and the public utilities. As a plan for the public good, distributed solar panels represent a far superior option, cause far less environmental damage, and are fiscally prudent.

Whether you are a long time kamaaina family or malihini who now calls Hawaii home, we all have one thing in common — a commitment to embracing the Native Hawaiian culture, honoring the heritage of the people, preserving the rural character of our islands, and cherishing the unique natural resources precious to each of our islands.

Our ohana should stand together and fight for what is pono for all our people on all islands. Wind energy as it has been advocated in the Big Wind initiative is not pono. Sadly, it reflects corporate greed and manipulation of public policy. There are better ways to reach the sustainable future we all want.