How Hawaii County spends its geothermal royalties could soon change.
The county has used the fund, established in 1983, to relocate neighbors of Puna’s geothermal power plant and support infrastructure improvements in Lower Puna.
County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong has drafted a bill that would amend the relocation policy by expanding it to homes built after 1989, and prohibiting the county from reselling land acquired from residents who want to move away from the plant. It also requires the program to end after 2012.
Additionally, the bill would direct royalties to be used on improving air quality monitoring and public health notices regarding emissions at the 38-megawatt facility, rather than infrastructure.