Toxic gasses best left underground
Some things are best left underground, and they aren’t just coal. I refer to numerous toxic gasses along with the hydrogen sulfide that are released during oil and gas operations, of which geothermal is a part.
Industries that produce H2S are commonly located in or near low-rent districts, where the general population has little or no political clout so industry can pollute to its heart’s content, especially after having U.S. Congress remove H2S from the Hazardous Pollutant List by declaring it a clerical error, as there are too many industries that produce H2S that don’t like to be sued.
In a few parts per billion, H2S may be beneficial, but the quantity these industries produce can knock you down and are often called “knockdown events.” After cyanide gas, H2S is the second deadliest gas known, so when someone says it’s good for you, question the concentration.
Although the geothermal industry claims to remediate 94 percent of H2S releases, it doesn’t always work as advertised. Those little monitors that you can buy measure in the parts per million, which means when they start chirping, get out while you can. Those of us who have been adversely affected by H2S releases know what this stuff can do; however, those who haven’t tend to believe all geothermal is clean, green and renewable. The dry form where they farm surface steam may be somewhat, but it’s the wet version where they drill to find a resource that can be quite problematic for those living nearby.
This was why the geothermal industry had the State of Hawaii write Act 97 to override home rule and geothermal subzones. That way they can build a facility almost anywhere they want, so we can’t sue them for damages. Neighborly of them.
Dave Kisor
Pahoa
TMT project needs to move forward
The invalidation of the Thirty Meter Telescope’s conservation district use permit will have a chilling effect on Hawaii’s astronomy sector. Astronomy has a direct economic impact of $92 million on the Big Island alone and supports 1,385 jobs statewide. However, these jobs may fade into the sunset over the next 10 to 18 years unless the master lease for the Mauna Kea astronomy precinct is extended past 2033.
The current astronomy operators will likely abstain from doing any telescope upgrades, and decide to decommission their facilities between 2025 and 2033 unless the master lease is extended. The current charged environment will make this difficult.
However, I hope this discussion takes place. For starters, if the lease is lengthened, it will give an incentive to existing operators to do upgrades to their astronomical facilities, and provide clarity for the future of astronomy on Mauna Kea.
The elephant in the room is the stalled Thirty Meter Telescope project. This project has become a lightning rod to eliminate all of the existing astronomy facilities. I believe this would be extremely shortsighted. Mauna Kea is a preeminent location for the advancement of human knowledge of the universe. This is why I hope the TMT project moves forward and Mauna Kea astronomy precinct lease is extended.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona