NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Quiet week for Kilauea volcano

Despite a cluster of small earthquakes beneath its south flank, Kilauea volcano experienced relatively little activity over the past week.

The quakes were concentrated beneath a section of Hilina Pali, about eight miles south-southeast of the volcano’s summit. The tremors drew the attention of scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory because such activity has previously been linked to so-called "slow slip events" — slow, silent movements beneath the surface — beneath Kilauea’s south flank.

Geologists determined that the activity was not linked to a new slow slip event. And while eruptions continue to occur at the summit and the east rift zone, there has been no large intrusion of magma from the summit into the rift zone, according to an HVO release.

According to the observatory, lava flow activity on the coastal plain was "weak and scattered," with new flows from the pali beginning Friday night.

Geothermal draws scrutiny

A group of Puna residents is seeking $200,000 from the county’s geothermal asset fund to study potential health impacts of Puna Geo­thermal Venture.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported that Puna Pono Alliance, made up of nearby residents to PGV, already have a study outline and formal proposal prepared by Neuro-Test Inc. of California.

The proposal may lend new life to efforts to study any impacts of the nearly 20-year-old plant on the surrounding community.

Any use of the fund, which was created to mitigate impacts from PGV, would have to be approved by the Windward Planning Commission.

PGV pays about $50,000 into the fund each year. It now has about $2.1 million and has never been used.