2011 News Summary

Big Wind Henry Curtis, of Life of the Land, reports from the “Big Wind” hearing: “Big Wind refers to the concept of building an interisland undersea high voltage electric transmission line between Moloka`i, Lana`i and/or Mau`i to O`ahu so that ever-energy-hungry O`ahu can be fed by the Neighbor Islands. Giant wind farms would be built in Mau`i County. Perhaps 200 of them would industrialize the rural areas of Moloka`i and Lana`i.” Quality of walking and bicycling on Maui under study State and county officials hope to improve pedestrian and bicycle pathways in Central Maui. A recent meeting at UH Maui College included about 45 residents who looked at maps and photos with private planners, highlighting dangerous intersections, blind corners, roads with no sidewalks, paths to schools zigzagging uphill and covered in brush, or cars parked on both sides of the street. The goal of the meeting was to find safer ways on foot and on bicycle to get to and from the shopping malls, public schools, the college and parks. This would allow more residents the opportunity to be physically active, thereby addressing obesity, diabetes and other health problems associated with a lack of physical activity. According to urban design firm Chris Hart & Partners, the group hopes to come up with a Central Maui plan by June. The program is funded by a grant from the Department of Health Healthy Hawaii Initiative. For more information, go to www.mauinews.com to read further. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Hawai‘i Interisland Renewable Energy Program: Wind The EIS will assess the foreseeable environmental impacts which may arise from the development of wind-generated electric energy and the required improvements to the existing electric transmission infrastructure. DOE will hold public scoping meetings in the first quarter of 2011. Dates will be announced in the Federal Register, on the DOE NEPA Web site at www.nepa.energy.gov.