And then there were 3

According to this story on KHON last night, there were 48 protea farmers in Ocean View on the Big Island a year ago. Today, because of the severe vog conditions, there are 3. While the federal government has offered low-interest loans to the farmers, it makes no sense for the majority of farmers who have been forced to close their operations and/or move away. Requests for no-interest loans have been denied.

Rep. Robert Herkes, who has conducted hearings on the impact of vog, had these comments:

"Some of them have just walked away, they've left their land, they've left the state. It's tough. Really tough....Where we need the help is what to do, how to do it, when to do it, not just more loans. That makes no sense."

Who's in charge?

Six House committees met jointly this morning to hear VOG related bills in order to make it easier for testifiers from the various state/county agencies and the public. Rep. Robert Herkes coordinated the hearing, as chair of the House Special Committee on VOG Effects. The special committee met four times over the interim to gather information on the impact of VOG on public health and safety, agriculture, business and the economy, and overall impacts to the state. Many of the bills are a result of and in response to the information from the special committee report.

At the end of the hearing, Rep. Herkes summed it up by saying that Rep. Souki hit the nail on the head when he concluded that "This is a natural disaster, and no one's in charge." Rep. Herkes has and continues to be frustrated by a lack of response from certain state agencies in addressing the immediate problems faced by the people on the Big Island. He has repeatedly stated that there needs to be someone in charge to spearhead the state's response on VOG.

Although the state administration has established an Interagency Task Force on Vog, Rep. Herkes exclaimed that the task force has no chair and has only met twice. Rep. Souki added, "Meanwhile, the whole island is going to pot."

The VOG package includes:

HB313 RELATING TO HIGHWAYS. This bill requires the Department of Transportation to conduct more reviews of the highway guardrails on the Big Island, as they are deteriorating from exposure to acid rain caused by VOG.

HB318 RELATING TO VOG. This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to work with the University of Hawaii to determine the best methods of VOG treatment and to research VOG-resistant varieties of plants.

HB316 RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. This bill establishes a temporary reimbursement program for tenants of state agricultural lands in VOG-impacted areas in order to reimburse tenants for costs of reapir and maintenance of fencing and other infrastructure.

HB312 RELATING TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES. This bill directs the Department of Defense to develop and implement a program to ensure that an adequate number of monitors are in place throughout the state where high VOG and sulfur dioxide incidences are known to occur.

HB317 RELATING TO MOBILE MEDICAL CARE. This bill authorizes the use of the federal Homeland Security Grant Program funds for mobile emergency and clinical medical care for the people in the southern sections of the Big Island.

HB314 RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION. This bill requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to develop rules for workers' compensation claims involving VOG-related medical conditions.

HB315 RELATING TO VOLCANIC EMISSIONS. This bill requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish standards to promote worker safety during high incidences of VOG or sulfur dioxide.

As the Labor Committee had a quorum, they passed HB314 as is, and passed HB315 with amendments. The other bills were deferred for decision making next week.

Rep Herkes outlines Vog report recommendations

The Hawaii Tribune Herald published this story Sunday outlining the recommendations of the House Special Committee on Vog Effects. The headline zeroes in on the recommendation for Hawaii County to provide property tax relief for farmers whose crops have been damaged by vog.

Chair Herkes, however, believe the most urgent need is for a 24-7 central point of contact:

"There needs to be a clearinghouse, open 24-7, staffed by people who are here and can talk about health effects, air conditioning, water filtering and agricultural effects. That just isn't being provided," said Herkes (D-Puna, Ka'u, Kona). "Information is just being passed anecdotally from group to group."

The Department of Health should retrofit hospitals with vog filters, and health insurance companies should cover the cost of air filters for qualified individuals. The DOH should also develop a more efficient system for collecting health data so the effects of vog can be determined, the report says.

The full report is available on the capitol website: http://capitol.hawaii.gov.

Vog Report Now Available Online

The House Special Committee on Vog Effects has issued its report to the Speaker. You can find the 20-page report online at the www.capitol.hawaii.gov website, or click here.

A Voggy Day

Rep. Bob Herkes, chair of the Special Committee on Vog Effects wrapped up a series of meetings yesterday, covering:

*status of volcanic activity
*the interagency task force
*the Hawaii Volcano Helpline
*emergency vog shelters
*health issues
*water issues
*school issues
*agricultural issues
*economic issues

Here are links to the media coverage:

The Honolulu Advertiser, "Lack of shelters troubles vog zone"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, "Relocation of farmers from vog suggested"
KHON2, "House meets on matters of vog"
KITV, "Officials suggest 'safe room' to avoid vog dangers"
KGMB9, "Big Isle Officials discuss vog problem at capitol"
KHNL, "The solution to the vog might be in Washington"
Hawaii Tribune-Herald, "Lawmakers powerless against vog"

Final Vog Meeting Set for Monday

WHAT: The House Special Committee on Vog Effects will hold its final meeting to follow up with county, state and federal agencies on vog-related issues, including public safety, health, water quality, impacts on agriculture and the economy, and to discuss its recommendations for action. Immediately following the meeting, Chair Robert Herkes will hold a media availability to address concerns on the state's handling of and response to the vog health and safety issue.

WHEN: Monday, September 22, 2008


Meeting: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Media Availability: 12:30 p.m. or immediately following the meeting

WHERE: State Capitol, Room 325

WHO: The following have been invited to participate:

US Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
US Department of Agriculture
Office of the Governor
Department of Agriculture
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
Department of Defense
Department of Education
Department of Health
Charter School Administrative Office
Hawaii Tourism Authority
UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
County of Hawaii
Hawaii Island Economic Development Board
Hawaii Association of Realtors
Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation – Big Island Farm Bureau
Hawaii Health Systems Corporation
Hawaii Medical Service Association
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii

The Vog in Wood Valley

Sabine Hendreschke lives in Wood Valley. She recently wrote to Rep. Bob Herkes on her personal account of what the residents are going through on the Big Island. She gave her permission to make this email public:

My name is Sabine Hendreschke. I am resident of Wood Valley located above Pahala in the Ka'u District.

We have been experiencing serious vog issues in our small community. The vog gets caught in the mountains which greatly intensifies its effects. Many of the plants are terribly burned; some of them are completely dead. Often, after a few hours of intense vog, the effects on the plants can be seen immediately. The leaves turn yellow, burn and drop on the same day. Even the trees are affected.

Lately it has been literally raining burned leaves. McCall Flower Farm as well as Stanley Mizuno's carnation farm have suffered losses, losing their flowers, laying off their workers and maybe having to shut down completely in the near future.

Animals are suffering also. Many calves have been stillborn on Kapapala Ranch. And what about us, the people. As of lately, I have become very concerned about my health. I often feel without energy. All I want to do is lie down and rest. Many people feel that way. In the heavy vog, even in the house with the doors and the windows closed, breathing is hard, our sinuses are affected. Many feel dizzy and disoriented. It is truly scary.

Looking at the plants and animals, I wonder what this air is doing to humans. Some of my neighbors have already rented houses in other areas. Some are thinking about completely moving away. I spend most of my nights in Pahala at a friend's house. We are hit pretty hard here. Changing the situation is out of our control. We can only pray and hope that it will stop. If it keeps going like this, living in our beautiful valley will become impossible.

USDA approves disaster declaration for farmers impacted by VOG

US Senator Dan Akaka put out a news release today announcing that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a disaster declaration paving the way for farmers affected by VOG to apply for low-interest emergency loans to cover their losses. Farmers can apply for up to 100% of their production and physical losses, not to exceed $500,000.

"Humongous" problems in the long-term

Roundtable discussion of the House Special Committee on Vog Effects

That's how Rex Johnson, Hawaii Tourism Authority Director, described the impact of Vog on the Big Island at today's meeting of the House Special Committee on Vog Effects. The focus was the impact of Vog on the economy, including tourism, real estate, and general business. Here are some notes:

Rep. Bob Herkes: We are getting reports that there is an increase in the number of psychological problems. Perhaps Dr. Green can comment on that.

Rep. Josh Green: Yes, in addition to the physical effects of Vog, there seem to by psychological conditions related to the vog, including depression and suicide. People are "freaked out".

Pearl Imada Iboshi, DBEDT Director of Research and Economic Analysis: It's difficult to separate out the impact of Vog to the economy from the ongoing downturn.

Rex Johnson: Organizers of the Ironman are sending people to monitor air quality. The athletes are concerned, just like they are in Beijing.

John Monahan, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau: I grew up in Los Angeles in the 50's and 60's. When I vacationed on the Big Island recently, it reminded me of growing up in Los Angeles, and not in a good way.

Rex Johnson: The Big Island will have major problems. Investors don't like that kind of thing. Visitors don't like that kind of thing.

Rep. Robert Herkes, Chairman (District 5 - Puna, Kau, South Kona, North Kona) and Rep. Clift Tsuji (District 3 - South Hilo, Panaewa, Puna, Keaau, Kurtistown)


John Monahan: You can't put a positive spin on this; you have to tell the truth. People save for a vacation and it's not good if they get here and have a bad experience because no one told them about the Vog. And they tell that to their travel agent, and news travels.

Kelly Wakayama, Hawaii Island Board of Realtors: We know of sales losses due to view planes. When people can't see the ocean, they go somewhere else. What are the realtor's obligations? Education, more disclosure.

Diane Ley, County of Hawaii, Research and Development: We see an increased use of energy because of the need to use the air-conditioning. Solar systems are operating at less efficiency because the Vog blocks the sun. We're seeing erosion of fencing materials, and other infrastructure deterioration. People are buying more bottled water because they don't trust the water source. There are reports of greater absenteeism, which can be a problem for small businesses. On the positive side, businesses that promote health products and fitness clubs are showing an increase in business.

Rep. Herkes: Please send a message to the Hawaii County Council for me. The members each have a $100,000 discretionary fund, that's $900,000 total, that they can use to help people who are badly hurt economically from the Vog. Why aren't they using these funds? What about real property tax relief? Can't the County Council do that?

For new information and updates on the volcano eruptions , visit www.bigisland.org/volcanoupdate.

How bad is Vog for business?

There was a time when the volcanic eruptions on the Big Island were considered a visitor attraction and thereby good for local tourism. Now that the volcanic emissions are spewing unhealthy levels of sulfur dioxide into the air, the impact to the economy spans not only tourism, but businesses, real estate, agriculture, and the state's workforce.

The House Special Committee on Vog Effects will hold its next fact finding meeting on Wednesday. See it live on Olelo, channel 53.

When: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Hawaii State Capitol, Conference Room 325

Invited to participate:
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT)
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau
Hawaii Association of Realtors
Hawaii Island Board of Realtors
The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce
Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce
Kau Chamber of Commerce
Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference
Hawaii Island Economic Development Board
Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii

Good news for Hawaii farmers

From the office of Congresswoman Mazie Hirono comes the news that Hawaii farmers will be eligible for disaster relief under the recently passed 2008 Farm Bill, including farmers hard hit by VOG. It does involve paying to the USDA Farm Service Agency a "buy in" fee ranging from $0-900, depending on the farmers circumstances.

Rep. Bob Herkes, chair of the House Special Committe on Vog Effects, helped brief Hirono on the impacts of VOG on Big Island farming and agriculture, noting: "The protea and cut flower growers in Ocean View and Wood Valley in particular have been hard hit and this financial relief is especially welcome and timely."

Contact the local Farm Service Agency Office for more information:

Hawaii County FSA, 933-8381; Kauai County FSA, 245-9014; Honolulu Country FSA, 483-8600; or Maui Country FSA, 871-5500.

We don't see the sun anymore

House Special Committee on Vog Effects - left to right - Rep. Jerry Chang, Rep. Clift Tsuji, Rep. Bob Herkes, Rep. Cindy Evans, Rep. Faye Hanohano

Big Island protea grower Sam Bayaoa shows the committee the burnt leaves and small flowers caused by vog conditions.

The House Special Committee on Vog Effects held its second meeting today, this one focusing on the effects of VOG on agriculture. Here are some startling statements from farmers:

"The sulfur dioxide is the primary factor of damage, but there are other factors related to the SO2. For example, we don't see the sun anymore. So far, my sales are down 30%. I expect them to be down by 50% by the end of the year. I've had to cut my labor force by half. My financial loss is about $100,000." Jeff McCall, McCall Farms - Wood Valley, Ka'u.

"I was wiped out in Oceanview. I had to move to Pahala. I've had experience with volcanic emissions from Mt. St. Helens. I've been calling my friends in Oregon and Washington to get their advice on how to deal with this. The VOG didn't kill my flowers, but it made them unmarketable. I used to ship all over the world. Now, I can't even ship to Watanabe Florist. I'm almost bankrupt. I did $30 in sales in the last few weeks. I'm wiped out." Ted Seaman.

"I specialize in protea. The pin cushion flowers should be four times this size. The leaves are burnt and the flowers are deformed. I've suffered a 100% loss. I told the farmers that I was coming to Oahu to speak to the legislature, and they said, tell them we're all wiped out." Sam Bayaoa.

The next meeting will be in two weeks and will focus on the economic losses attributed to vog.

2nd Vog Effects Briefing: The Impact of Vog on Ag

This briefing will be cablecast live on Olelo, Channel 49.

The House Special Committee on VOG Effects will meet Thursday in Room 325 at the Capitol for the second of a series of briefings. The meeting tomorrow will focus on the impact of VOG on Hawaii's agricultural operations. The discussion will include the effects of VOG on crops and ways to assist farmers.

Thursday, July 10, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The effects of the VOG have severely impacted the Big Island farming community, operationally and financially. The briefing will include information on how farmers can protect their crops and on resources available to help farmers mitigate future crop loss.

The following have been invited to participate in this fact-finding meeting:

U.S. Department of Agriculture	Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation
National Weather Service	Big Island Farm Bureau
Hawaii Department of Agriculture	Hawaii Agriculture Research Center
UH College of Tropical Agriculture	Kona Pacific Farmers Coop
UH at Hilo College of Agricultural	Big Island Protea Growers Assoc.
Forestry and Natural Resource Mgmt.	County of Hawaii Research and Dev.