Bill package addresses wind farms in Hawaii

A host of bills looking to address utility-scale wind energy projects near residential areas in Hawaii has been introduced for this year’s legislative session.

Gil Riviere (D, Heeia-Laie-Waialua) introduced seven bills, which range from providing preferential electricity rates for those who live near the power plants to giving the governor the authority to terminate the Na Pua Makani wind project on the North Shore.

The bills appear to be a response to the project and the opposition of many residents of Kahuku, which is part of District 23, which Riviere represents. Senate Bill 3051 would give Gov. David Ige the ability to terminate Na Pua Makani, which consists of eight 568-foot turbines many residents believe are too close to homes and schools.

Dylan Beesley, vice president of Bennet Group Strategic Communications and spokesman of the project, did not comment on the bills, but confirmed that construction of the last of the eight turbines finished Wednesday. Na Pua Makani developer AES Corp. has said the 27-megawatt project will provide enough electricity to power 16,000 homes and be operational this summer.

“They’ve got so much money invested in it, it’s going to be very difficult to unwind, but I don’t know a single person who can say that this deal is a good deal. It sucks for the Kahuku people,” Riviere said.

Opposition to the project led to protests that began in mid-October and looked to stop the transportation of wind turbine parts from Kalaeloa to Kahuku. Over the course of about a month, about 200 arrests were made during the peaceful protests.

Opponents’ concerns revolved around how close the turbines are to homes and schools, possible health concerns, danger to native wildlife and environmental injustice.

Native Hawaiian activists also had a heavy influence on the protests and demonstrations.

AES has previously said that it has consulted the community and that the turbines will have no ill effects on the residents.

Though the transportation of the turbine parts was completed in November, Kahuku residents are still unhappy about the project.

“People who live in the community are pretty upset about it. … It’s pretty horrible. I mean, it’s literally like sitting in somebody’s backyard,” said Kathleen Pahinui, chairwoman of the North Shore neighborhood board.

Riviere and Pahinui are directors of Keep the North Shore Country, a nonprofit currently in the middle of a lawsuit fighting Na Pua Makani’s conservation plan.

Kahuku resident Jessica dos Santos said in a written statement that Riviere’s bills were “fair, balanced and necessary,” and urged people to see the turbines in person to understand why the bills are urgent.

Resident Sunny Unga said in a statement that “green energy projects should not come at the cost and destruction of the health and safety of its people. … If we are serious about climate change, these projects must include environmental justice and equity to move forward in a pono way.”

A few of the bills would assist residents living near the turbines, such as providing preferential electricity rates to residents living within a 5-mile radius of a wind energy power plant.

Others tackle future projects and how close they can be to residential areas. Riviere highlighted Senate Bill 2805, which would require a comprehensive siting plan with public input to be made. The goal is to avoid community uprisings in future projects.

“I’m proposing that the siting study will help us alleviate future crises, because this thing’s an abomination. … How did that happen? And let’s not let that happen again. That’s the No. 1 takeaway I want people to know, is that we’ve got to do better on our siting and locations of these systems,” he said.

There are 20 wind turbines in Kahuku, including Na Pua Makani’s eight. The other 12 are part of the Kahuku Wind Farm, which became operational in 2011.