I testified in favor of exempting exploratory slim wells from the requirement of preparing an Environmental Assessement or an Environmental Impact Statement. (An EIS is already required for actual production wells.)
The reason I testified in favor of an exemption is because I feel there is already adequate protection in place. And it’s an important move forward – the age of cheap oil is over and Hawai‘i’s people are very vulnerable.
Here are some of the checks and controls:
- The Board of Land and Natural Resources will have to approve all exploratory well applications.
- A well-drilling permit will be required from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
- Permits will be necessary from the Department of Health clean air branch and drinking water branch, and a community noise permit will also be required.
- Also, there are applicable Hawaii Administrative Rules to mitigate impacts from: soil erosion, surface groundwater protection, air quality protection, noise impacts, protection of Fish/Wildlife/Botanical Resources, protection of cultural resources, waste disposal, environmental monitoring, blowout prevention and restoration of well site.
In addition, exploratory wells cannot be sited in conservation, urban or sensitive areas. They are allowed in Ag-zoned land.
More details on all this:
Geothermal Resources Exploration/Development – Mitigation of Impacts
DLNR Responsibility Regarding Management of Geothermal Resources
It was reasonable to present this position to fast track geothermal. The EIS is not the huge ponderous paper mountain it used to be and there is sufficient established exploratory well history to demonstrate very little impact to the environment above and below ground. The direction from here is fairly well established. HELCO has about 10 bids for its RFP for the west side plant. The RFQ is supposed to go out in the next few months. After that, the HELCO picked contractor will work with the county and state to identify potential exploration areas. Considering they are mainly looking at the west side of Mauna Loa, there is a lot of open public land so there won’t be as much residential objection. It is usually the residential opposition that makes EIS a lengthy, costly process.