Posted on: Friday, January 9, 2004

EDITORIAL
HECO still has many questions to answer

If anyone should know the importance of community input, it's the Hawaiian Electric Co.

Its proposed $35 million transmission line along Wa'ahila Ridge was rejected in 2002 by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources after extensive public opposition.

Never mind that it spent more than $13 million to lobby for approval.

So we suggest that with its newly proposed $55 million transmission line project, HECO redouble its efforts to bring the community along in its planning and thinking process.

That means including groups such as Life of the Land, Malama O Manoa, Ho'olaulima O Palolo, Kapahulu Neighbors and the Palolo Community Council right from the get-go.

These groups and others have filed motions to intervene in HECO's application to the Public Utilities Commission. If accepted by the PUC, they'd have the right to take part in hearings, provide testimony and receive documents.

HECO can recommend that any or all intervenors be rejected. But we suggest it use that discretion sparingly. This is an ambitious project that would benefit from broad scrutiny.

Hawaiian Electric's plan to bury nearly three miles of 46,000-volt lines under the streets of McCully and Mo'ili'ili over the next five years entails the excavation of some of Honolulu's busiest streets.

While a wide array of intervenors may initially bog down the decision-making process, it's probably smart in the long run to let everyone with reasonable concerns about the economic, environmental, health and cultural impact of the project have their say.

After all, the commission might as well hear all the objections before it determines whether the benefits of a new transmission line outweigh the cost to ratepayers, and whether to give it the green light.

Granted, there are those who want any transmission line stopped regardless of its scope and location. But if their concerns are invalid, the record will show that.

If HECO can prove the transmission line is really needed, and that its construction will do minimal harm, it should welcome the broadest possible discussion.