'Everyone is kind of stuck' as lawmakers hear debate over Wahiawa landfill site
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Lawmakers grilled city leaders Tuesday about the controversial plan to put the next landfill in Wahiawa.
Those at the hearing know Oahu’s trash needs to go somewhere, but lawmakers seemed frustrated by the lack of ideal options.
Leaders from Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration and Board of Water Supply chief engineer and manager Ernie Lau answered questions at the State Capitol about the city’s plan to build a 150-acre landfill in a Wahiawa pineapple field owned by Dole Food Company.
The city says most of the waste that would go into a landfill is burned into ash, but there’s debate over whether toxic chemicals could be contained.
Despite strong opposition to the landfill site, city leaders insist it can be built safely over the aquifer.
“Landfills contain contaminants that can enter ground water if it leaks out of the landfill and that leachate is pretty contaminated,” said Lau.
“We believe when we reduce what goes into the landfill, and then we have better systems that protect the substrate, soils and aquifer that we can safely operate a landfill over the aquifer,” said Mike Formby, city managing director.
The city says its current landfill, Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill, in Nanakuli has never leaked and the risk is low, but Lau says if there was an accident, contaminated water would head toward Waialua or Haleiwa.
The Land Use Commission mandated the city can no longer accept waste at its westside landfill in March 2028, which is the last year of Blangiardi’s second term.
“I don’t think there is any possibility of getting a landfill up and running in the next four years, no matter what site we choose,” said State Rep. Sean Quinlan.
“I think we kicked the can down the road and now everyone is kind of stuck, and when people get stuck, they propose things that are unreasonable, like citing a landfill above an aquifer,” he said.
Hawaii News Now asked Formby how awkward is it to have Lau, the head of the Honolulu’s municipal water system, testify against the plan.
“It’s not awkward at all. We’re completely comfortable with it,” said Formby.
The city will start its environmental impact statement process which could take two years.
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