Environmental Mediation and the Development of the Puna Geothermal Venture Project: Hawaii Tries a New Regulatory Process to Unlock a Decade of Confrontation

Abstract

The Puna District of the island of Hawaii has one of the highest temperature geothermal resources in the world. The district also has a number of features that constrain geothermal development, including high hydrogen sulfide concentrations, stringent land use planning, nearly scattered residences, a local population with deeply held feeling about economic development in their area, and an active volcano. Over the past decade, this combination has produced a number of high temperature public meetings, legal action that has been heard by the State and U.S. Courts, and a geothermal development program held hostage by divided public opinion. In an effort to unlock the large geothermal resources on the Big Island, the State of Hawaii has adopted a 30 day mediation process as an optional procedure for resolving land use issues related to geothermal development. The state is looking to geothermal to provide 500 MW of new capacity for the Island of Oahu and in Act 301 has developed a consolidated process for permitting the submarine cable and geothermal development tied to it. Meanwhile, during June and July 1989, two geothermal projects, the 25 MW Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) project and the University of Hawaii scientific observation hole program, began to move through the medication process and to deal with the issues raised by a decade of public confrontation.