The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative is seeking a 65 year water lease to make a tiny amount of hydropower by draining all the water from the Conservation District of the state forest reserve, diverting the sacred waters of Wai’ale’ale and Waikoko. These waters only produce half of Upper Waiahi Hydropower Plant 0.7 megawatts daily, or 0.35 mw, for the 15 or 20 million gallons of water diverted from the forest daily. This is not sustainable energy. Our forest cannot be dried up for the next 65 years for a tiny amount of power. There has to be a better way. 

Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement would consider alternatives. An Environmental Assessment is not adequate for a 65 project with negative cultural and environmental impacts.

An EIS must be prepared on the consideration of diverting the sacred waters of Wai’ale’ale and Waikoko for commercial profit, not public trust purposes, for the next 65 years.