Bill Text: HI SCR10 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Geothermal Health Effects Study

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-23 - Referred to PSM/WTL/HTH. [SCR10 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-SCR10-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	10
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

ENCOURAGING THE COMMISSIONING AND FUNDING OF WATER RESOURCE AND HEALTH BASELINE STUDIES TO BE DONE PRIOR TO FUTURE GEOTHERMAL DRILLING AND DEVELOPMENT.

 

 

     WHEREAS, geothermal development can affect the health and wellbeing of people surrounding a geothermal plant during dramatic accidents like the KS-8 blowout in 1991 and potentially during smaller upsets and operational releases similar to those that occurred in 1997 and 2005; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Puna district is particularly vulnerable to the health effects of geothermal; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Geothermal Public Health Assessment Study Group's Final Report, Geothermal Public Health Assessment found in pertinent part:

 

"Puna has unique challenges.  Being a rural area with a highly dispersed population and underdeveloped transportation and health systems, it is difficult for residents in need of health assistance to reach help.  There are clinics but no hospital facilities in the District of Puna.  There are no public wastewater treatment systems; most homes have septic tanks or cesspools.  About 13% of Puna’s people live below the federal poverty line.  Almost half of the population age 65 and over are living with disabilities.  Puna has the worst statistics in the County for low birth weight babies (9%), mood disorders (1,885 over a 5‑year period, or 10%), and anxiety disorders (790 over a 5-year period or 4.6%).

 

While 84.2% of Puna's population report themselves to be in good health, other numbers suggest problems.  Seven percent of the population lack complete plumbing facilities and four percent lack complete kitchen facilities.  Puna's high percentage of low-income residents tends to increase the need for social services, yet private health care providers are reported to be reluctant to locate in Puna due to insurance issues.  Puna residents score worst in the state on several other indicators:  adults who are obese (24%); adults who smoke (18.9%); adults without health insurance (9.5%)"; and

 

     WHEREAS, by establishing a baseline health study that measures the same parameters explored as described in Recommendation 1 of the Final Report, Geothermal Public Health Assessment (2013), future health studies can more easily establish the magnitude and responsibility of health effects; and

 

     WHEREAS, geothermal development may affect water wells downstream from the development area as well as the coastal basal brackish groundwater and the ocean near the geothermal plant; and

 

     WHEREAS, by establishing a baseline using the methodology of the study of Recommendation 4 of the Final Report, Geothermal Public Health Assessment (2013), future water studies will be able to more easily establish the magnitude and possible responsibility for environmental impact from geothermal development; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, the House of Representatives concurring, that the County of Hawaii is encouraged to commission water resource and health baseline studies that are to be completed prior to future geothermal drilling; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that future geothermal developers are encouraged to fund these studies; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Geological Survey is encouraged to conduct these studies; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Mayor of Maui County and the United States Geological Survey.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Geothermal Health Effects Study