DLNR: Public Hearings Scheduled for Input on the Update to the State Water

Government
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Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources  issued the following announcement on Dec. 23.

The Commission on  Water Resource Management (CWRM) will hold public hearings online for an  update to the State Water Projects Plan (SWPP) in January 2021. The  SWPP is one of five component plans that together constitute the Hawai‘i  Water Plan. The major objective of the SWPP is to provide a framework  for planning and implementation of water development programs to meet  projected water demands for State projects, such as schools, harbors,  parks, agricultural parks, and office buildings. 

The SWPP is meant to  review current and future state water projects to ensure orderly  authorization and development of the State’s water resources. The  SWPP found that by 2034, an additional 34 million gallons per day (mgd)  of potable water and over 148 mgd of non-potable water is needed to  support State projects. The SWPP contains a breakdown of these water  needs by county, by State Department, and by hydrologic unit.

CWRM staff will be holding two online hearings at the dates and times listed below: 

January 13, 2021 (Wednesday) at 9:00 am   

January 14, 2021 (Thursday) at 6:00 pm       

Considering the  evolving COVID-19 situation, protecting the health and welfare of the  community is of utmost concern.  As such, these hearings will be held  remotely, with the Hearing Officer, presenters, and testifiers  participating via online meeting venue.  The virtual open hearing will  be broadcast via live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/user/dlnrcwrm/

If you wish to provide live oral/video testimony during the online meeting, email CWRM at dlnr.cwrm@hawaii.gov no later than 48 hours in advance, with your name, phone number, email  address, and your computer identification name (check your device  settings). CWRM staff will then provide the meeting link information to  you. Testifying at one of the two virtual hearings listed above will be  enough to have your comments recognized and recorded.

All interested persons  are urged to attend an online hearing and submit comments, orally or in  writing. The CWRM will continue to accept written testimony until  February 15, 2021.  Testimony should be mailed to the Commission on  Water Resource Management, Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural  Resources, PO Box 621, Honolulu, Hawaii 96809, or email: dlnr.cwrm@hawaii.gov, or fax to 808-587-0219.

Disabled individuals  planning to attend the hearings are asked to contact the CWRM (at the  above address or phone 808-587-0214) at least three days in advance of  the hearing to indicate if they have special needs that require  accommodation.

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The document can be viewed online at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/cwrm/planning/hiwaterplan/swpp/

Original sourca can be found here.