The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold two public hearings this month on a request for a permit to conduct a two-week experiment injecting carbon dioxide into the ocean about four nautical miles offshore from Nawiliwili, Kauai. EPA schedules hearings
on plans to inject carbon
dioxide into seaStar-Bulletin staff
Honolulu hearings will be 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. next Tuesday at the Washington Middle School cafeteria, 1633 S. King St. Kauai hearings will be 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. May 22 at the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School cafeteria, 4431 Nuhou St., Lihue.
The Pacific International Center for High Technology Research is the general contractor for the proposed experiment, representing organizations from the United States, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, Canada and Australia.
The group expects to measure physical and chemical changes induced in sea water by the discharge of liquid carbon dioxide at different rates and its effect on nearby life forms.
Public comments on the proposal are being received by the EPA until June 14. For more information, see the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/region09/water/kauai, or contact Allan Ota at 415-972-3476.
The research application and other relevant documents are available for public review during regular working hours at the following designated repositories: the EPA's Pacific Islands contact office in Honolulu (541-2710) and Kauai Public Library in Lihue (241-3222).
Copies of the environmental assessment also can be reviewed at the Maui Public libraries in Wailuku (243-5766) and Lahaina (662-3950), Hilo Public Library (933-8888) and Kailua-Kona Public Library (327-4327) on the Big Island, and the EPA's Region 9 office in San Francisco (415-972-3476).