Council Chairman Dominic Yagong introduced Bill 292 to limit geothermal drilling at the Puna Geothermal Venture to daytime hours, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. The committee sent the bill to the full council with a positive recommendation.
Puna Geothermal Venture Manager Mike Kaleikini said the plant has been operating within its noise limits. He testified against the bill, noting that even if drilling were halted at night, some of the equipment would have to stay running, generating noise even if nothing was being drilled. “To limit drilling to daytime hours only, the drilling process itself could be prolonged as much as two to three times longer,” he added.
Read More....
