Following a significant community outcry, with over 150 residents expressing opposition to a landfill proposal in Wahiaw? situated over an aquifer, a city official in Honolulu stated that the administration is also against the idea. However, he pointed out that a state law limits their options in this matter.
In response, several state lawmakers, including House majority leader Sean Quinlan, are working on legislation that would provide the city with more alternatives. Quinlan proposed a bill aimed at reducing the minimum distance required between landfills and residential areas, schools, and hospitals from half a mile to a quarter-mile, although he acknowledged that this proposed limit might be modified. The legislation would also prohibit constructing landfills over “significant aquifer” locations.
The current half-mile buffer was established in 2020 under Act 73 following numerous complaints from residents near the PVT Landfill in N?n?kuli. “To be fair to the city,” Quinlan stated, “because we passed Act 73, we’ve put them in quite a bind.” The Honolulu Board of Water Supply cautions against situating a landfill in areas where the porous, volcanic rock could allow harmful substances to infiltrate the island’s drinking water. The territory identified as a “no pass zone” comprises 77% of the island’s interior. Furthermore, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi has assured the community that the new landfill would not be established along the Wai?anae Coast, a region predominantly inhabited by Native Hawaiians and that experiences economic challenges.
Much of the island is restricted for landfill use due to various federal and state regulations. One key regulation prevents landfills from being developed in conservation zones, many of which lie outside the boundary set by Act 73. Currently, Honolulu disposes of approximately 250,000 tons of waste annually. In an interim solution, the city previously suggested the possibility of sending its waste off-island for up to ten years.
During recent town hall meetings, city officials emphasized that the state-imposed buffer zone left them no choice but to consider a pineapple field in Wahiaw? for the landfill, despite it being located approximately 800 feet above an aquifer feeding the North Shore’s water supply. “All our options — our legal options for city and county — are over aquifers,” stated Krishna Jarayam, Honolulu Deputy Managing Director, during a community gathering. “This is not our choice. This is not what we wanted to do.” Nevertheless, city officials remain optimistic that they can create a landfill that safeguards the water supply, proposing a design that features a double liner, in contrast to the single liner used at the current facility, which has not leaked since its inception in 1989. The plan involves treating the leachate, or the water that seeps through waste, to mitigate contamination concerns.
Quinlan’s proposed legislation could potentially unlock opportunities for additional sites that are situated above a thick protective layer known as caprock, which the Board of Water Supply claims can assist in preventing water contamination. City officials have noted two prospective sites that could be viable options should the buffer zone be reduced and landfills permitted in specific less-restrictive conservation areas.
The establishment of the half-mile buffer zone followed complaints regarding the PVT Landfill, which processes construction waste. While county officials warned that Act 73 would severely limit their capacity to expand or establish new landfills, Quinlan admits he did not fully grasp the long-term implications of the legislation. He described the matter as emotionally charged during discussions, particularly for those living on the Westside of the island.
Despite being projected to manage its waste until the early 2030s, PVT’s permit restricts dumping activities to before 2028. Meanwhile, the city was initially expected to identify a new landfill site by the end of 2022 but received a two-year extension due to its inability to do so. Efforts to secure a site on military land were thwarted when the Navy rejected the city’s proposal for a site on the Waipi?o Peninsula, which would have also necessitated relocating a large public soccer complex. The Navy’s decision stemmed from concerns over potential national security risks associated with a landfill on their land.
During the recent community forums, some residents encouraged Blangiardi to re-engage the military to explore this option again, asserting that the current circumstances may favor the city’s bargaining power. After the Navy’s recent acknowledgment of previous mismanagement leading to fuel leaks contaminating Pearl Harbor’s water supply, residents are emboldened to demand better conditions from the military, especially as their $1 land leases with the state will expire in 2029. “I’m begging you to do the hard work and go back to that first option with the military,” said Wahiaw? resident Betty Ickes, addressing city waste management director Roger Babcock during the crowded community meeting. “We’ve got some leverage. Let’s use it.”
Many residents expressed skepticism over the city’s assurances that modern engineering methodologies would adequately prevent contamination. Former council member Heidi Tsuneyoshi posed an important question, expressing concern about the city’s confidence in evading potential underground contamination, stressing that issues might remain hidden until it’s too late. Amid the mounting concerns raised during the meetings, a visibly frustrated Mayor Blangiardi retorted, “Let me be very clear, OK? This was not a capricious decision. Just tell me where else we can put it.”
