Question: Around 6:15 a.m., Sunday, April 7, I noticed a city truck on Kahekili Highway in Kaneohe hauling a large boat with the driver and his passenger on their way to what appeared to be a fishing trip. Was this an official use of a city vehicle? Why would a C&C truck be hauling a large fishing boat on an early Sunday morning?
Answer: With the license number you provided, city officials determined that the vessel is one of two trailer-mounted Boston Whalers assigned to the Department of Environmental Services’ Oceanographic Team.
To comply with requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or NPDES, the boat is used to obtain water samples from the city’s four ocean outfalls, said city spokesman Jay Parasco.
The outfalls are off Mokapu, Barbers Point, Sand Island and Waianae.
In this case, the boat and crew launched from Heeia Harbor to collect samples from the Mokapu outfall.
“To avoid similar confusion in the future, the department will be adding City & County of Honolulu decals to the vessels,” Parasco said.
Environmental Services says on its website that it has an “extensive ocean monitoring program” with nine employees, all scuba-certified divers, monitoring waters from the Leeward to Windward coasts of Oahu.
In addition to the 25-foot Boston Whalers, a larger 37-foot vessel also is used to gather data, collect marine fauna and dredge sediment by hand to perform various analyses.
Why on a Sunday?
Parasco explained that NPDES permits require nearshore/shoreline collections at both the Mokapu and Barbers Point sites be conducted a minimum of five days per month, at six-day intervals. That means occasional weekend monitoring at those locations.
The Sand Island permit requires sampling every four days, also resulting in monitoring on weekends, while the Waianae outfall requires sampling only once per calendar month.
For more information, go to http://is.gd/QB7JWT.
Question: Homeowners insurance is very expensive for us because of hurricane coverage. How does the state Hurricane Relief Fund work? We paid into it and were wondering about canceling the hurricane part of our homeowners insurance.
Answer: While the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund still exists, it’s not there for you to just tap into because you once paid into it.
The fund was created by the state Legislature in 1993 in the wake of Hurricane Iniki the year before. Property insurance companies folded, left the state or stopped issuing new policies after being deluged by more than $1 billion in claims.
The state responded by creating the fund, which initially was fed by insurance premiums, special mortgage recording fees and annual insurance company assessments.
The fund shut down in 2002 after private insurers returned to the Hawaii market.
“HHRF is dormant,” there are no policies outstanding and “the next hurricane will be handled by the private insurance market,” explained Lloyd Lim, acting executive director of the fund.
“People should be cautious about canceling their hurricane insurance,” not only because of the continuing risks of hurricanes, but because most mortgage lenders require it, he said.
The fund was meant to be available in the event of another destructive hurricane and private insurance again is not adequate to cover claims.
In recent years, however, the state raided it to help make up budget shortfalls. So, from about $220 million in 2002, the fund now has only $20 million.
“HHRF will restart if there is another hurricane insurance scarcity in the market,” Lim said. “To restart, it needs some monies, so we are hopeful to get at least some money back from the Legislature.”
Senate Bill 1092, Senate Draft 1, which proposes to “recapitalize” the fund with a $25 million infusion, is set to go to a Senate-House conference committee. See http://is.gd/hAJ1JN.
MAHALO
To the kind gentleman standing behind me as I waited to pay for my sushi at Sekiya Restaurant. You noticed the “Air Force” and “Viet Nam” patches on my baseball cap and unexpectedly paid for my lunch as a gesture of appreciation for my military service. I didn’t get your name, sir, but you made my day. — Bill
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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
