Posted on: Monday, August 27, 2001

Placement of navigation towers on Big Island OK'd

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — A large tower that would fill in important gaps in marine rescue operations in Hawai'i has won a recommendation from the Hawai'i County Planning Commission.

The panel voted 8-0 Friday to recommend state Land Use Commission approval of the Coast Guard project, despite concerns about whether the 150-foot central tower and two 20-foot towers would threaten birds such as shearwaters flying in the area.

Coast Guard Cmdr. Frederick Wright of Alameda, Calif., told the commission that the $400,000 to $500,00 project, on 45.9 acres of state-owned land two miles outside Pahoa, needs to speed along to avoid loss of financing.

The project would be the last of three Coast Guard Hawai'i Differential Global Positioning Systems to be established in Hawai'i. The others are at 'Upolu Point in North Kohala on the Big Island and at Kokole Point on Kaua'i. Two are needed on the Big Island because of the size of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Wright said.

The satellite-based navigation systems are used by mariners to determine their precise positions on the ocean and can speed rescuers to vessels in distress.

The towers will be placed on top of a former airplane landing strip used for spraying operations by the former Puna Sugar Co. The strip is part of a larger 3,924-acre state property.

The tallest tower will be placed 800 feet from the roadway in an area known as Keonepoko.

The Coast Guard plans to paint the towers gray and plant trees to screen them from the view of drivers on Highway 130.