Two pending requests from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to exempt contracts from requirements of the state procurement law caught my eye this morning. Both appear to reflect the good and bad of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration. On the one hand, the administration is pressing for movement towards goals of expanded use of clean energy and a modernized broadband infrastructure. On the other hand, the administration apparently views community concerns and environmental issues simply as impediments to be swept aside.
The first proposed contract is a $195,000 extension to an earlier award to advertising agency MVNP (formerly Malici Valenti Ng Pack) “to develop and implement a strategic public relations and marketing plan” for the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.
The proposal has several aspects. There’s a “local, national, and international media campaign” aimed at developing “a broader media outreach network” to promote DBEDT energy projects, and “establish consistent communications channels” to report favorable stories on an ongoing basis. Not too hard in this age of compliant corporate media.
The “issue management” component seems to have the most potential for additional mischief. It sounds an awful lot like it is aimed at burying opposition to the Big Wind project on Molokai and Lanai through both a PR blitz and manipulation/mobilization of both elites and “active, trusted, and engaged community members and groups who have a clear understanding of the benefits of clean energy” on each island. That sounds a lot like they may be planning to once again pit the unions with interests in construction and development against communities with both more particular issues as well as broader long-range concerns.
According to the proposal, MVNP will also “establish relationships with key community members” in Maui County, which will allow they to push “a more balanced relationship and voice within neighbor island communities” and “correct misinformation.”
The Maui County focus is a giveaway that they’re targeting opposition to Big Wind for their strategic public relations/propaganda push.
Then there’s a $100,000 request to exempt “Sponsorship of telecom and communications technology related events.”
This covers “marketing and public awareness events related to the Governor’s Hawaii Broadband Initiative,” with funds to be managed by the High Technology Development Corporation.
This is another initiative launched through an executive order sign by Gov. Abercrombie in August. These funds would, according to the accompanying statement, be used for “opportunities” that arise to spread the message.
The troubling aspect here goes back to Gov. Abercrombie’s executive order. One of its stated goals is to “develop and implement a modern regulatory and permitting environment that supports and advances investment in broadband infrastructure and services for the public.”
The problem here is the broader context.
Do you recall the perspective of DBEDT Director Richard Lim, noted here earlier? In a speech earlier this year, Lim said:
There are a number projects that can improve our infrastructure and provide improved facilities for the enjoyment of locals and tourists. And, partnering with the private sector minimizes the need for State funding or additional personnel.
Of course, there will always be the vocal minority that will object. Think of the super ferry. And, there have been other projects that have been derailed by well heeled NIMBY’s and special interests. While I am all for protecting the environment, we need to strike a balance. We can do responsible and sustainable development.
We have a regulatory structure that protects the environment and the interests of consumers, both of which appear likely to constrain the Big Wind project and its accompanying interisland cable. Reading between the lines, both of these exemption requests are for projects that seek to undermine key parts of the system, using manipulation of news and public opinion through targeting spending on community partnerships and through “trusted groups.”
Taken together, I find these unsettling. I hope I’m wrong.
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“We have a regulatory structure that protects the environment and the interests of consumers”
Actually, I would argue that we have a regulatory structure that allows a vocal minority – and sometimes a very small minority at that, and sometimes even a single person – to destroy large projects in Hawaii.
It’s not just Superferry. It’s also been telescopes, wind projects, rail, the marina in Ewa, bike paths on Kauai and Oahu, habitat restoration across the state, algae removal in Moanalua Bay, mangrove removal on the Big Island, renovations at Kapiolani Park, Ala Wai canal cleanup, research at Papahanaumokuakea – think how many projects have been delayed or shelved in the past decade thanks to a small handful of self-appointed community “leaders” rather than any actual environmental issues.
I’m also troubled by some of the governor’s tactics, but it is getting increasingly hard to tell what are honest environmental and community concerns and what is just the usual crowd making noise because they can.
The Super Ferry did not follow the law. Whose fault is that?
Also,the silent majority has to work 2 or more jobs to pay for the untold impact fees/taxes. It’s good that the” minority” has the time and energy to represent the public good.
You give people like Richard Lim an inch and they will take a foot, and then a yard, and then a mile.
Kanewai, I can address my opposition to Big Wind. I am a HUGE advocate of alternate energy. I love the Kahuku wind farm, think that everyone in Hawaii should have solar panels on their houses, and am an advocate for rail (though maybe not the technology that is being used). This Big Wind project has one major tech strike against it. Transporting energy across an underwater cable is incredibly inefficient. I don’t have the stats, but it’s my gut feel that this project will lose more energy than it makes sense to go forth with it. If the generated power were to be used on Lanai or even Maui, I’d be a supporter. But it just seems insane to most of the engineers I’ve spoken with to build a cable to transport the generated power.
Abercrombie signed House Bill 1342 which, according to his news release:
“exempts broadband infrastructure improvements from state or county permitting requirements for five years”.
Broadband to be Trojan Horse for Big Wind Cable?
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4528/Broadband-to-be-Trojan-Horse-for-Big-Wind-Cable.aspx
Ian, I think we’re seeing the tip of the iceberg, so to speak!
I figure that our department of business, economic development and tourism (“de bet”) is at best incompetent, at worst a syndicate-type enterprise.
Aloha tower development, free trade zones, Kakaako, etc. are mainly corrupt where competent – and their bona fide needs they should be serving could better be delegated to the county level. Planning could and should return to the office of the Governor. Other enterprises need to be audited functionally and if salvageable should go to other departments like Commerce, Budget and Finance or Accounting and General Services, etc.
Ian, et al, I challenge you — or anyone else– to find ANYTHING done right at DBEDT; to me we’d all be better served if it was disbanded, with some staff transferred to legitimate (responsible) departments and agencies.
Agreed.
(I responded “Agreed” and your computer told me my response is too short. Hence these extra words.)
The Maui County focus might also encompass the solar farm Murdock wants to put on Lana’i.
Funding professionals to do community outreach, to find out what community concerns are, help insure that communications to the community are clear and effective, and to help build a community consensus in support of improvements is not necessarily an evil activity.
And despite the claims to the contrary, prior to the court rulings, most professionals would have thought that granting an environmental exemption for adding another floating dock/ramp to a long established harbor was not illegal.
It was a shock to the system that a judge would not agree to an exemption for such a manini action with the result for several years, no agency would issue an exemption for things like hooking private utility lines up to utility lines running in State highways. You had to go to the Office of Environmental Quality Control to get your exemption!!
It was probably politically and pragmatically unskillful for the Lingle administration not to proactively protect itself against the call for an EIS by telling the Superferry folks to go ahead and spend the money to prepare the EIS even though the State did not think one should be required for the trigger event. If they had done that, the EIS would have formally presented all the information about impacts that was already known, and DOT Harbors could have accepted the EIS and issued the permits to build the docks. It needs to be remembered that the judge made a procedural ruling, not a ruling on the merits of having the Superferry.
Now we have the spectacle of a developer paying to prepare an EIS for a project that has not requested any action that is a trigger under State law for requiring an EIS. Other developers are having to determine if they need to do an EIS for subdivisions!! We are far from what the original proponents would be accomplished under the EA/EIS law.
It’s very obvious that most politicians at all levels have been smooched by wealthy corporations, consultants and lobbyists.
They in turn appoint their cronies to Commissions and Committees. Neil Abercrombie is no different.
The only way is to occupy the government and put in new type of legislators who put the 99% first..
Occupy the State Legislature!
Like the sound of that!
Let’s put some of that energy into signing up people to vote, recruiting progressive candidates, and getting out the vote!!
Ian,I think you are missing a lot when you read how they want to co-opt “active, trusted, and engaged community members and groups” and the only thing you take away from that is that they want to use the unions. ‘Round up the usual suspects!”
These massive projects have the potential of generating massive profits IF they can get approval. So the public relations strategy has become an essential component of the overall plan. In the field of “alternative energy,” look at who might be “trusted” enough that their agreement, or at least neutrality, would impede the development of broad opposition to the project.
The environmental organizations are generally cash-poor, and dependent upon either corporate underwriting or a few well-heeled financial angels. There is a small number of individuals and groups who have the credibility and/or infrastructure in place to rally widespread opposition. It takes years of work, often as a volunteer or with little pay, to develop the expertise and credibility to make you a target worthy of co-optation.
And on energy issues, some “environmental organizations” are so hungry for “clean energy,” they will lend their prestige to an ill-conceived, over-capitalized, over-centralized, monopolistic energy “solution” both out of desperation and out of a desire to prove how “responsible” they are.
The PR managers for Mufi’s Train had a similar strategy of co-optation. The longer people examined the Train, the more doubts emerged, but some “environmentalists” still support it for superficial, knee-jerk reasons.
Kolea, spot on about the Mufi’s Train. They pushed this through by continuing to dig up dirt and spending taxpayers dollars.
Now most of the city council is too afraid to ask questions and choose a more sane system. They are using the excuse that so much have been spent already.
What City council need to understand is the money pit down the road is only going to get deeper and wider.
STOP THE SCAM NOW!
http://www.HonoluluTraffic.com
Please see NY Times article yesterday on ROI for Clean energy investors…yes, they are cleaning up. ..on a no-brainier sure thing deal. It also mentioned some of these subsidies are ending so maybe Big Wind will blow itself away.
Also in yesterday’s news “Murdock to sell Lanai”
Though I suppose it has been for sale. So maybe not news. The vocal group on Molakai has been a force in the past so I expect more of the same organized opposition.
Every time Superferry is used as a dearly lost opportunity I cringe. How the big lie just keeps on to shelter the silly souls who thought subsidizing the pentagon procurement machine would bring them special favor down the road strikes me as pathetic. Anyone with a high school bookkeeping
class under their belt could figure what a financial disaster that was. The Big Wind sounds like just what we need for the one per cent…and the 99 can pay for it with higher utility rates. I’m for the panels on every rooftop.
The State is crashing ahead with a very high risk cable project designed ultimately to tie the geothermal resources of the Big Island to Oahu.
They have not evaluated technologies that can be used to produce clean energy here on Oahu. Before driving ahead with a multi-billion dollar, high risk power grid the rate payers are going to have to pay for, we should look at the potential of bio-gasification, (http://diamondheadrr.com/index.html) geomagmatic(http://www.mokupower.com/) and wave energy technologies which can generate the firm, clean electrical power Oahu needs.