October 16, 2019
Hawaii

Protesters blocking wind turbine installation remain overnight at Kahuku site

By Rosemarie Bernardo | Honolulu Star-Advertiser | Oct. 15, 2019 | www.staradvertiser.com

Two police vehicles were stationed at the entrance of the Kahuku Agricultural Park this morning where protesters blocked a wind farm developer from delivering heavy equipment Monday.

About a dozen protesters stayed overnight as they continue rallying against the planned wind farm of eight turbines at a site leased from the state.

Kahuku resident Sia Tonga, 44, a mother of eight children, said she is concerned about the health and environmental impacts.

The project’s wind turbines are slated to be bigger than the existing turbines in Kahuku and are going to be closer to the community, she said.

“Everybody is going to be affected,” Tonga added as she sat in a folding chair under an open canopy and shielded her eyes with her hand from the sun’s rays.

Opponents of the Na Pua Makani project blocked workers who drove their vehicles in the direction of protesters Monday night.

The confrontation ended after responding police officers spoke to both sides. The workers eventually left the area.

Nakia Naeole of Ku Kiai Kahuku said today that they are committed to ensuring their community is safe.

Though the group supports alternative energy technologies, Naeole said they oppose the wind farm project, calling it “irresponsible alternative energy.”

The developers choose not to hear the community’s concerns, he added.

The project developer, AES Corp. intended to start delivering turbine parts from Kalaeloa to Kahuku this week. The delivery was to start Sunday and take place over seven weeks.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/10/16/protesters-blocking-wind-turbine-installation-remain-overnight-at-kahuku-site/