Drought persists despite rain, NWS says

Heavy rain in March was not enough to alleviate the severe to extreme drought in Hawaii and Maui counties, the National Weather Service said.

The weather service issued a drought update Thursday as the wet season draws to a close at the end of April.

Except for Molokai, most of the March rain fell over areas that are not experiencing severe drought conditions, forecasters said.

Significant rain on West Molokai brought the area out of the severe-drought category. North-central Molokai remains in a severe drought because of low reservoir supply levels.

Kauai is the only island without drought areas.

Rain last month over West Oahu may have been enough to allow pasturelands to regenerate, but forecasters say it is too soon to tell whether the drought designation can be lifted.

Waiver for PV building permit fee is gone

The city is collecting fees on building permits issued for photovoltaic solar electric power systems. Permits are issued online.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed a City Council bill March 7 that eliminates the waiver for PV permit fees. The waiver was implemented in October 2007 as an incentive to the PV industry and residents to install the energy-saving systems.

The PV fees collected will be used to hire additional inspectors and plan checkers to improve service, and reduce the time needed to obtain other permits and to conduct inspections.

The city said the number of PV systems has nearly tripled each year since 2008.

The city said the permit fee is $740 for a residential PV system valued at $40,000. For a table of current building permit fees, see www.honoluludpp.org/Portals/0/pdfs/construction/SCHED.pdf.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Learning center is on the move

A Hilo education center for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument will be moving into a larger space.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday it is joining with the Koehnen family to move the Moku­pa­papa Discovery Center to the family’s former furniture store in downtown Hilo.

Monument Education Coordinator Andy Collins said the new center will have five times the space. He said it will feature classroom space, a theater and a training center.

The center opened in 2003 to bring the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the people since most people won’t ever have an opportunity to visit the remote islands.

The center hosts more than 60,000 visitors a year.