Residents fighting Kaua'i airstrip plans
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau
PORT ALLEN, Kaua'i — The state is proposing a range of improvements to the old airstrip at Port Allen, despite considerable community dismay over the project.
Much of the dissatisfaction stems from the airfield's location, next to ancient Hawaiian salt-making beds still being used and a popular county beach park.
Among aircraft that use the airport regularly are tour helicopters and one used by the Kaua'i Fire Department for most of its rescue operations.
Aircraft operators, some local business owners and emergency rescue workers favor the improvements, but community opposition is strong.
A final environmental assessment found no significant impact from the state's plan for aircraft hangars, new paving, restrooms and other improvements.
The state Department of Transportation has an application before the county Planning Department that is several years old, delayed pending completion of the revised environmental assessment.
An earlier version of the environmental study had been rejected in state courts for its failure to consider the alternative option of consolidating Port Allen's helicopter operations with those at Lihu'e Airport.
Kaua'i Planning Director Dee Crowell said the state had yet to seek reactivation of its permit application.
Public testimony is likely to be taken during Planning Commission hearings on the improvements.
According to the final assessment, the state cannot force helicopter firms out of Port Allen Airport, also called Burns Field. Under federal law, the state "has no authority to prevent the use of the Port Allen Airport by helicopters," it said.
The airport study also rejected the option proposed by some Kaua'i residents of closing Port Allen Airport, as that would deprive West Kaua'i of an emergency landing site and violate the intent of Hawai'i law, which calls for the state to encourage airport development.
Boat builder Don Moses of Kekaha expressed some of the residents' divided feelings over the airport improvements.
"I'd like to see the airport stay there, for selfish reasons — I have an airplane. But I'm not so attached to that, that I want it over what the community wants," he said.
Pilot Walter Briant said he favors the airfield's current, limited helicopter operations, and feels fixed-wing pilots also should have the opportunity to lease space for airplane hangars. He conceded that improvements could increase use.
"It's low-impact now, but it may not remain low-impact," Briant said.
State airport planner Ben Schlapak said the proposed improvements should not increase problems at the airport, and could improve some of them.
New paving should decrease dust, and geological studies show that underground conditions will prevent fuel spills from contaminating nearby Hawaiian salt-making fields, he said.
Salt-makers are not so sure.
"I'm totally against it," said Frank Santos, a lifelong salt-maker who owns a Hanapepe landscaping firm and nursery.
He said heavy winter rains cause airport runoff to flow out onto the Salt Pond area, possibly contaminating summertime salt-making wells with fuel. In summer, aircraft operations toss dust, grass, seeds and other debris into the air that end up landing in the salt beds, Santos said.
Salt makers dig wells to reach super-saline water, which is dipped into open beds that are left in the sun. The water evaporates, leaving large white salt crystals.
Although state health regulations forbid selling it, the Hawaiian salt is prized by local families for seasoning and cultural purposes.
Santos' daughter, Kuulei Santos, said aircraft noise is an intrusion at the county's Salt Pond Beach Park, "the only beach on the west side where there's safe swimming for keiki, pavilions, a lifeguard and bathrooms."
Planning Director Crowell said he expects continued heated debate over the state's proposals.
Reach Jan TenBruggencate at (808) 245-7825 or jtenbruggencate@honoluluadvertiser.com.
