A newsletter from the office of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi November 2011

HOLOMUA
Island represented at APEC Leaders Week in Honolulu

Mayor Billy Kenoi joins U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 for the untying of a lei which signifies the opening of the latest phase of the Saddle Road, from mile marker 19 to 11.

Calling it so much more than just infrastructure, Mayor Kenoi joined state and federal officials Oct. 24 at the blessing of the latest section of the Saddle Road to be completed.

Latest phase of Saddle Road work pau

Mayor Billy Kenoi participated in the annual Leaders Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, which took place Nov. 8-12 in Honolulu. Leaders of 21 AsiaPacific countries, representing 41 percent of the worlds population, were in Honolulu to discuss various economic opportunities and issues such as renewable energy. Hosting APEC in Honolulu was a direct boon to Oahu, but having the worlds attention for a week nearly 2,000 journalists from member nations were in town covering the meeting was not an opportunity lost on Hawaii Island. In addition to the Mayors participation in the APEC meetings and sitting many interviews, Hawaii Island was well represented with students winning essay contests, companies winning innovation awards, an exhibit at the Hawaii Convention Center, and a media reception showcasing Hawaii Islands finest. We want to let people know that there is an island called Hawaii, and that island is covered with natural wonders and great economic opportunity, said Mayor Kenoi. APEC is a once in a lifetime opportunity to do this on a world stage.

U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye to the project. From everyone on Hawaii Island, we extend a deep mahalo.

The Saddle Road project, which began in the mid 1990s, has so far produced This is a connector for the families 31 miles of highway, which replaces a and businesses of Hawaii Island, narrow and winding road created in said Mayor Kenoi at the event which the 1940s following the attack on Pearl celebrated the completion of the eight- Harbor. mile stretch between mile-marker 19 According to Sen. Inouye, the road was and mile-marker 11. It enhances our created not just as a cross-island passage, quality of life. but to provide access to a prisoner-ofRoad and Highway Builders LLC of war camp located on saddle between Sparks, Nev., completed this section Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. on time and on budget. The $32.8 I bet you didnt know that, said Sen. million contract was awarded by the Inouye, who joined Mayor Kenoi, state Department of Transportation state Transportation Director Glenn in September 2009 with the project Okimoto, state Sen. Gil Kahele and starting that November. other dignitaries in untying a ti-leaf lei This road gets us where we need to be, that stretched across the entire width and will do it safely, said Mayor Kenoi, Story continued on page 8. who recognized the commitment of

Turn to pages 3-6 for more coverage of Hawaii Island at APEC.

Holomua November 2011

The County of Hawaii this year entered into Sister City relationships with two cities in the Asia Pacific region which share important economic, cultural, geographic, and energy similarities with Hawaii Island. Both are in nations that are APEC member economies.
Mayor Kenoi and Deputy Managing Director Wally Lau take a wreath to pay tribute to our veterans on Veterans Day at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Also present was Director of R & D Randy Kurohara.

Hawaii County establishes new energy relationships with two new Pacific cities

Sister City relationships are agreements that bind regions together in cultural and economic cooperation. The cities often have similar histories and similar economic drivers. In the case of Hawaii County, there are often times citizens with ancestral ties to our sister cities. Kumejima in Okinawa, Japan, is an island about half the size of Niihau with a population of about 8,000. Like Hawaii Island, Kumejimas economy was once based on sugar cane, and is now dependent on the visitor industry. Kumejima also has a deep sea pipeline similar to Keholes Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii that pumps up cold, clean water for use in aquaculture. Kumejimas entrepreneurs have used the facility to grow seaweed and shrimp and to produce cosmetics.

Mayor honors veterans at Punchbowl

While on Oahu for APEC, Mayor Billy Kenoi took a solemn moment on Veterans Day to pay tribute to the many men and women who have served our nation. He presented a wreath at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 16,000 veterans live on Hawaii Island, and Mayor Kenoi says that it is important to remember the sacrifices of all veterans. We owe our freedom to each and every man and woman who has served in our armed forces, past and present, Mayor Kenoi said. I send to them and their families my most heartfelt mahalo. The Veterans Day holiday began at the end of World War I, under a different name. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, in commemoration of the ceasing of hostilities between Germany and the Allies a year earlier. With several incarnations of the holiday celebrated in the intervening years, the Veterans Day as we know it was signed into law in 1954.

Mayor Chokou Taira of Kumejima and Mayor Kenoi solidified the sister city agreement on Sept. 11 in a ceremony at NELHA.

Further south, Ormoc City in Leyte, Philippines is home to the Leyte Geothermal Fields, a geothermal facility producing more than 700 megawatts of electricity. Because the power produced is more than enough to provide the energy needs of Ormoc Citys 180,000 residents, Ormoc City exports the excess. The city also serves Mayor Eric Codilla of Ormoc City and Mayor as a post-secondary educational center Kenoi are pictured here at a Sister Cities summit of the Visayas region of the Philippines, in September. much as Hawaii County strives to serve Hawaii with the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Community College. Mayor Eric Codilla signed the sister city agreement along with Mayor Kenoi on Sept. 14. Our ties to these areas are deep, and Americans of Okinawan and Filipino ancestry on Hawaii Island played vital roles in establishing these sister city relationships, said Mayor Kenoi. We are confident these sister city relationships will foster economic opportunities for the residents of our respective regions in what we all recognize as the Pacific Century.

From the office of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi

Beautiful scenes from Hawaii Island like this one, photographed by Bruce Omori, were presented by Hawaii Island studio Extreme Exposure.

Chrissy Henriques dances to the music of Mark Yamanaka and friends, among the Finest of Hawaii Island showcased at the Nov. 9 media reception.

The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board and the Big Island Visitors Bureau welcomed about 500 APEC delegates, local dignitaries, Hawaii Island business leaders, and members of the media to a reception on Nov. 9 showcasing Hawaii Islands finest food, folks, music, and art.

Finest of Hawaii Island showcased for local, national, and international media

of Hawaii, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and the islands astronomy community, all of which were represented with exhibits at the reception. While we have extended invitations to visiting media to visit Hawaii Island, we understand that many of them are on tight schedules. So we did the next best thing to taking them to Hawaii Island, said Mayor Billy Kenoi. We brought Hawaii Island to them. Dishes prepared with Hawaii Island ingredients were presented by the Four Seasons at Huallai, Huallai Resort, and Sansei Seafood Restaurant. Musicians included Hawaii Island N Hk Hanohano award winners Kuuipo Kumukahi, Darlene Ahuna, Mark Yamanaka, and Kuana Torres Kahele. Art was provided by Tommy Kualii and Bruce Omori of Extreme Exposure. I think we definitely accomplished what we set out to do, that is to present Hawaii Island to the international media and generate a buzz, Mayor Kenoi said. We got to share our islands values and aloha with the world.

Staff from the Four Seasons Huallai were among those presenting Hawaii Islands Finest foods.

The reception was held at the Waikk Elks Lodge, conveniently close to the APEC venues but outside the special security zone. The oceanfront location allowed for an open, relaxed atmosphere, echoing the Hawaii Island lifestyle. Dignitaries in attendance included Lt. Governor Brian Schatz, Kauai mayor Bernard Carvalho, former Honolulu mayor Mufi Hanneman, and numerous state legislators and Hawaii County council members. Business leaders from the island were also in attendance. A media room was set up just off the main reception where Mayor Billy Kenoi sat television interviews with media from Hawaii, across the U.S., and as far away as Australia. Many more journalists found out about Hawaii Islands innovations, including the Natural Energy Laboratory

Hilo girls Kuuipo Kumukahi and Darlene Ahuna brought their Hawaii Island flavor to the reception.

County and State officials were on hand to meet with media, like Keaukaha-born Chairman Alapaki Nahale-a and Crystal Kua, and Don Aweau of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, pictured here with Mayor Billy Kenoi and his wife Takako.

Holomua November 2011

What is APEC?

APEC is a premier forum for facilitating sustainable economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. The APEC member economies represent 41 percent of the worlds population, 54 percent of the worlds total gross product and 44 percent of global trade.
APEC Member Economies Australia Brunei Darussalam Canada Chile China Hong Kong Indonesia Japan Korea Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Papua New Guinea Peru Philippines Russia Singapore Chinese Taipei Thailand United States Vietnam

Manning the Hawaii Island exhibit during APEC were staff from the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, the Big Island Visitors Bureau, and the County of Hawaii. Pictured here from the County: Deputy Managing Director Wally Lau, Paulette Cainglit, Clarysse Nunokawa, Deputy Director of R & D Laverne Omori, Mayor Billy Kenoi, Lisa Robertson, Kaycie Saiki, Executive Assistant to the Mayor Karen Teshima, and Director of Research and Development Randy Kurohara.

Though the estimated 20,000 people in Honolulu for APEC Leaders Week may not have gotten a chance to come to Hawaii Island, the island was represented well at the Hawaii Convention Center with an exhibit booth that brought the islands products and lots of aloha to Honolulu for the week.

Hawaii Island exhibit at Convention Center draws delegates, media

media center, several local, domestic, and international news outlets interviewed County officials that were on hand at the booth, including Mayor Billy Kenoi. We produced an exhibit that tells the story of Hawaii Island, a unique environment that not only breeds innovations in sustainable technologies, but honors and preserves the host culture to which these sustainable principles were a way of life, said Beth Dykstra of the Countys Department of Research and Development, who was instrumental in assembling the exhibit. Other Hawaii Island exhibits at the Convention Center included APEC Business Innovation awardee Big Island Carbon, ocean thermal energy conversion technology developer Makai Ocean Engineering, and a number of representatives of the astronomy community including the University of Hawaii and the Thirty Meter Telescope. The exhibit also marked the debut of a new website with information about the island at hawaiiisland.org.

Several hundred delegates, media, fellow exhibitors and convention staff and volunteers stopped by the exhibit over the week to sample Kona and Ka coffees, locally grown macadamia nuts, and other ono products from Hawaii Island, and pose for photos. Visitors also got a chance to talk story with the staff from the County, the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, and the Big Island Visitors Bureau to learn more about our home. All staff were dressed in clothing designed by Hawaii Island entrepreneurs. The presence at the Convention Center led to many media inquiries from news outlets from all around the Asia-Pacific region. Conveniently located in an exhibit space two doors down the APEC

From the office of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi

Two Hawaii Island high schoolers were among five statewide winners of an essay contest held by the APEC Hawaii Host Committee. Waikea High School senior Alexander Bitter and Hawaii Preparatory Academy junior Zoe Sims were honored at an Oct. 18 ceremony at the office of Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz. Students were asked to compose an essay answering the question Why is sustainability important to you, Hawaii and APEC? Entrants shared their thoughts on Hawaiis future and the role that sustainability plays in balancing the needs of our growing economy. The three other winners of the essay contest were Iolani (Oahu) junior Ben Chao, St. Anthony (Maui) senior Matthew Matasci, and Kamehameha

Hawaii Island high schoolers win APEC sustainability essay contest

Kaplama Nuuhiwa. junior

Shane-Justin

The winning students had the unprecedented opportunity to hear from President Barack Obama, President Hu Jintao of China, and other world leaders and global CEOs from Northrop Grumman, Better Place, Time Warner Cable and more by attending the APEC CEO Summit. The high school essay contest was created to engage our local youth by providing them with the extraordinary opportunity to take part in APEC, said Peter Ho, APEC Hawaii Host Committee Chair. We were extremely impressed by the caliber of writing and thoughtfulness of Hawaiis next generation of leaders.

Sopogys Holaniku solar farm at NELHA in Kona.

Sopogy, the Honolulu-based developer of solar power technologies, signed a deal with Chinas Sichuan Dongjia Investment Company during APEC that will grow Sopogy into the Chinese market. The memorandum of understanding signed outlines how Sichuan Dongjia would invest in Sopogy and projects using Sopogys MicroCSP technology in Hawaii and China. MicroCSP units are about one-third the size of a traditional concentrated solar power mirror, making them much easier to install on a smaller scale. In return, Sopogy is agreeing to expand in China with Sichuan Dongjia Investment Company as its marketing and manufacturing partner. Marking the conclusion of weeklong activities for the APEC summit, a signing ceremony took place at the China Aloha Business Leaders night gala on Nov. 13. Sichuan Dongjia Investment Company was a member of the APEC 2011 Chinese Business Delegation. The company is focused on real estate development and investment, technology application of energy savings, building design and construction and property management. Sopogy was the Honolulu winner of the 2011 Business Innovation Showcase for its MicroCSP technology. On Hawaii Island, Sopogy operates the Holaniku solar farm at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii in Kona.

Sopogy signs deal with Chinese firm

Alexander Bitter, Waikea High School

Although the task of making Hawaii sustainable, in terms of basic food and energy resources, may seem daunting, it is not one that we can afford to shy away from As one of the wealthiest and most politically stable areas in the Pacific region, Hawaii holds great promise in becoming the worlds experiment in sustainability; if it will work anywhere, it will work here.

Zoe Sims, Hawaii Preparatory Academy

Sustainability calls for protection of the natural world for generations to come this has always been the challenge of environmental stewardship We must strike a balance between revering nature and supporting human quality of life. This equilibrium is crucial for us as individuals, and an imperative for Hawaii, APEC, and the world APEC has the opportunity and the responsibility to lead the region and the world towards sustainable solutions.

Holomua November 2011

Big Island Carbon takes islands top honors in showcase

The APEC Hawaii Business Innovation Showcase recognizes leading edge innovation and achievement in Hawaiis business community, reinforcing Hawaii as a place of strong economic opportunities and engaging the Hawaii business community. The criteria required of businesses and business-related projects included being attractive to markets outside Hawaii; having developed unique, leading and cutting-edge innovations; having positively impacted Hawaiis business environment; and having adopted environmentally sound practices. Sixteen applications were reviewed by a Hawaii Island review committee, which selected the six that were submitted to the APEC Hawaii Host Committee. Big Island Abalone: The only abalone farm in Hawaii that produces and serves the world market with premium, live abalone. The product is featured in many restaurants in Hawaii, the mainland U.S. and Japan. Their business plan is to expand into the Asian marketplace particularly in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Hawaii Oceanic Technology: The firm designed a fish farming system called the Oceansphere. The $100 billion aquaculture industry must double in the next 20 years to meet global demand. Hawaii Oceanic Technologys goal is to perfect its patented Oceansphere by farming its King Ahi brand of tuna. Hawaii Preparatory Academy: HPAs energy Lab, the worlds greenest K-12 school building, serves as the hub for the schools sustainability program. It is the nucleus of an international student network dedicated to developing skills, awareness, and solutions for the next centurys global challenges and a prototype for green building design, sustainability and occupancy. Mauna Kea Observatories: In partnership with Imiloa, the observatories share the science, innovation, and technology of Mauna Kea through a myriad of educational opportunities for local, national and international communities. By integrating cutting-edge science and technology with Hawaiian practices, they are enabling multi-cultural communities to fully participate in an ever-changing global economy. Pacific Regional Disaster Preparedness Center: The PRDPC is planning a new disaster preparedness training facility in Hilo that will become the focal point for all disaster management services. PRDPC already provides FEMAsponsored disaster coursework and training; the facility will become the premier location for those services in the Pacific Region. And the winner for Hawaii Island: Big Island Carbon and its first-in-the-world high tech plant utilizing macadamia nut shells as feedstock to produce premium specialty Granular Activated Carbon. The output will be sold to specialty users throughout the Asia-Pacific Rim and the world in the upper end of this growing market. Honolulus winner was Sopogy. While Sopogy is headquartered in Honolulu, it operates a solar farm at the Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii in Kona using its patented micro-concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) technology, which uses mirrors and optics to intensify the heat energy from the sun, creating thermal energy. Sopogys President and CEO Darren Kimura is also a Hilo boy, an alumnus of Waikea High. The winners were recognized in various media, and also represented in exhibits at APEC venues and on the APEC inroom television station.

With the Hawaii Convention Center in the background, Mayor Billy Kenoi talked story with Hawaii News Nows Howard Dicus on the Sunrise morning news show.

Media turns its eyes to Hawaii Island

Between the exhibit booth, the media reception, and other APEC functions, journalists from China, South Korea, Russia, England, Australia and Vietnam as well as other countries had the opportunity to meet and talk with County officials as well as leading businessmen from Hawaii Island. As they are collected, we will link to stories about the island from the Mayors website, HawaiiCountyMayor.com.

A story about Hawaii Island, including an interview with Mayor Kenoi, ran in Chinas Guangzhou Daily, the 24th largest newspaper in the world with a circulation of 1.6 million.

From the office of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi

West Hawaii Civic Center approaching Zero Waste

A recent recycling audit of the West Hawaii Civic Center, home to offices for 11 County agencies, found it to be almost a Zero Waste facility.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as state and county departments gathered for a demonstration of the public safety mobile broadband network in East Hawaii. In this photo, a traffic camera in Hilo is being accessed wirelessly from the Civil Defense Mobile Command Center, just one of a number of possible uses for the new technology.

The audit, conducted in October, established that 98 percent of the waste generated at the facility by County employees is being recycled or reused instead of being thrown into our landfills. The diversion rate for the entire facility, including publicgenerated waste, is 90 percent. Zero Waste is a way of life that promotes the goal of reducing the amount of material we throw away. In this way, we greatly reduce our impact on Hawaii Islands natural environment and how much rubbish we generate, protect Hawaii Islands natural environment, preserve our resources for future generations, and save our community tax dollars. This is a tremendous achievement for the County and for our island. Only with the support of all of the staff at the Civic Center, we successfully demonstrated that zero waste is possible, said Angela Kang, Recycling Specialist for the County who conducted the audit.

A cutting-edge pilot project in East Hawaii is developing a system to allow first responders and other County agencies to access County networks and applications wirelessly at broadband speeds. The network is similar to commercial mobile Internet service from wireless carriers like AT&T or Verizon. However, the technology behind this secure system allows for features like prioritizing public safety ahead of other network traffic to ensure that first responders always have the access they need. The closed system would not be vulnerable to the outages often experienced by the commercial carriers during emergencies, when heavy public usage brings those systems down. Because the network can carry all kinds of data, the applications for this new tech are limitless. Users in a mobile command center can video conference with headquarters to discuss a situation. Police officers can check on a vehicle accident on their way to the scene, and firefighters can access the vehicles schematics to aid in a speedy rescue. Any application running on a County network can be accessed wirelessly. The first phase of the network is already online in the Hilo and Keaau areas. The network operates in the 700MHz spectrum, which is reserved for public safety use. Hardware for this phase of the pilot

Pilot project putting cutting edge tech in the hands of Hawaii County first responders

New network hardware enabling mobile broadband access for public safety is already in place on this radio tower at Hilos Public Safety Building.

project is installed on existing Countyowned radio towers. This infrastructure is being provided without cost to the County by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as part of their field testing of the technology. The overall project by the USDA aims to improve broadband access in rural communities and communications for all levels of government. Mayor Billy Kenoi is proud to host this cutting-edge project in Hawaii County. I want our public safety crews to experiment and innovate, to be aware of what is possible with this technology, and be ready for the innovations in public safety broadband technology that we all know are coming. This technology will make our communities safer, it will make our police and firefighters safer, it will help to reduce crime, and it will save lives, Mayor Kenoi said.

When opened in January 2011, the WHCC implemented its Zero Waste Program, diverting nearly all of its solid waste from the landfill with its Blue Bin mixed recycling bins to divert paper, plastics and metals. Employees also use on-site composting bins to divert food scraps and green waste. HI-5 and office equipment collections take care of e-waste, batteries, ink/ toner cartridges and other recyclables. The Hawaii County Council adopted the principles of Zero Waste as a longterm goal in December 2008, and Mayor Billy Kenoi has committed the County to making the WHCC Zero Waste program a model for expansion to County facilities island-wide. Visit the Countys Solid Waste Division website at www.hawaiizerowaste.org.

Holomua November 2011

Latest phase of Saddle Road work pau

continued from 1 of the road, which has three lanes in the mile-marker 18 area. Sen. Inouye said the continuing construction of the Saddle Road fulfills a commitment he made to himself in 1964 when he decided to devote his life to to public service. The longest-serving senator in the United States said his commitments to Hawaii Island were to bring east and west together, create a four-year college in Hilo and to improve Saddle Road. Ill be around, believe me, said Sen. Inouye, speaking to the 80 or so people who gathered in the cold and rainy weather, until this is finished. Just as soon as this blessing was completed, officials moved to the west side of the Saddle Road, where Kirkland Construction is expected to begin civil engineering work on the second-to-last leg of the Saddle Road, from mile 41, sometimes called the Steps or Girl Scout Hill, to mile 14 of Mamalahoa south of Waikoloa Road. Kirkland was recently awarded the $33.7 million contract and could be given the notice to proceed in the next few days. The company, which plans to use local construction workers for a majority of the work will have until June 2013 to complete the 9.6 miles of earthwork. A contract to pave that portion of the road will be advertised at a later date. So far, the Saddle Road project has spent $250 million and employed 2,000 people at one time or another. By the time it is completed, officials estimate that 2,700 people will have worked on this project.

A Chevy Volt was demonstrated by De Luz Chevrolet for County officials, including Mayor Billy Kenoi.

Mayor test drives plug-in electric car

Using the photovoltaic array at West Hawaii Civic Center to charge its battery, the new vehicle can take trips up to 35 miles using no fossil fuel Representatives from De Luz Chevrolet in October took Mayor Billy Kenoi on a test drive of the Chevrolet Volt, a new electric vehicle that is being considered for addition to the Countys fleet beginning in the first quarter of 2012. The Volt, an electric car with a rangeextending gasoline backup generator, will be charged by solar power at the West Hawaii Civic Center. The Civic Centers 250-kilowatt photovoltaic array already provides more than enough power for the 80,000 square foot complexs needs. As a result, the system will charge the vehicles at a fraction of the cost (of conventional gas-powered vehicles). A concern of early electric vehicles was limited range between charges, a particularly valid concern given the size of Hawaii Island. On a full charge, the Volt can drive an EPA-estimated 35 miles before firing up a gas-powered generator. In other words, a trip under 35 miles in the Volt charged at the West Hawaii Civic Center will use no fossil fuel. On a full charge and a full tank of gas, the Volt has a total EPA-estimated driving range of 379 miles. De Luz Chevrolet representatives reported that a round trip over Saddle Road from Hilo to Kona and back used just 2.5 gallons of gas. The range and efficiency of the Volt make it a practical choice for electric vehicle technology in the county fleet. Embracing this plug-in electric vehicle technology will allow us to make good use of the ample solar power already available at the West Hawaii Civic Center, said Mayor Kenoi. With vehicles like this in the Countys fleet, we will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, realize the associated cost savings, and continue to set an example in embracing new, green technologies, said Mayor Kenoi.

HOLOMUA is published by the Office of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi. For the latest from the Mayor, visit us at hawaiicountymayor.com Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/MayorKenoi Follow us on Twitter @MayorKenoi

Art on the cover of this issue: Old Kalapana Fishing Grounds by Tommy Kualii of Extreme Exposure www.extremeexposure.com