Suggestions for EMAIL LETTER TO HELP SAVE keauhou baY

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Key Points:

Environmental Impact:

•    Pollution Risk: Developments pollute nearby waters both during and after construction.

•    Endangered Species: Habitat for federally protected green sea turtles and endangered monk seals. Development will threaten these species due to pollution and human disturbance.

•    Golf Course Runoff: Golf course pesticides and fertilizers lead to harmful algae blooms, killing coral and marine life. The removal of the trees that act as a natural filter will allow golf course runoff to pollute the Bay.

•    Increased Human Activity: More tourists and residents will increase noise, water, and light pollution, further disturbing marine life.

•    Motor Vehicle Pollution: Increased traffic from the resort will lead to more oil and heavy metal runoff into the bay.

•    Noise Pollution: Construction and increased human activity will disrupt marine life, particularly cetaceans.

•    Stormwater Runoff: Development will increase impervious surfaces, leading to higher stormwater runoff and pollution.

•    Sea Foam Toxins: Pollutants in runoff can lead to toxic sea foam, affecting air quality and marine health.

Scientific Evidence:

•    NOAA & Other Studies: Developments have always polluted coastal waters, harming marine ecosystems.

•    Coral Reefs: Runoff from developments causes coral bleaching and death, as evidenced in Hawai'i and other coastal areas.

•    Plankton Decline: Pollutants from runoff kill plankton, crucial for manta rays' diet, leading to ecosystem collapse.

•    Algae Blooms: Pollution runoff causes algae blooms, smothering coral reefs and killing marine life.

•    Ecosystem Research: Studies show significant negative impacts on marine ecosystems from development-related runoff.

Legal Concerns:

•    Endangered Species Act: Development violates the act's mandate to conserve habitats for endangered species.

•    Hawaii Conservation Laws: Local statutes require conservation of indigenous aquatic life and their ecosystems.

•    Conservation Mandate: Federal and state laws emphasize conserving ecosystems that support endangered species.

Infrastructure Issues:

•    Resource Strain: Big Island already faces water shortages, limited landfill capacity, and power conservation needs.

•    Inadequate Infrastructure: Existing infrastructure cannot support additional strain from a large resort development.

•    Waste Management: Big Island's landfill is nearing capacity, and new developments will exacerbate waste issues.

•    Water Crisis: Ongoing drought and water contamination issues make additional strain from new developments unsustainable.

•    Power Conservation: Big Island is currently experiencing power shortages and rolling blackouts, and new developments will increase demand.

Case Studies:

•    Chesapeake Bay: Coastal developments cause significant harm due to runoff, a situation Keauhou Bay could face.

•    Hawaiian Islands: Existing research shows developments lead to severe degradation of coral reefs and marine life.

•    Global Examples: Similar coastal developments worldwide have resulted in long-term environmental damage.

Community Impact:

•    Local Use: Keauhou Bay is a popular spot for local activities such as boating, fishing, canoeing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, manta night dives, surfing, and swimming.

•    Tourist Impact: Increased tourist activity will further degrade natural resources and disturb local wildlife.

Economic Considerations:

•    Tourism Dependence: Manta ray tours and other eco-tourism activities depend on a healthy marine environment.

•    Local Economy: Damage to the bay's ecosystem will negatively affect local businesses reliant on marine tourism.

•    Long-Term Costs: Environmental degradation will lead to long-term economic costs, outweighing short-term development gains.

Conclusion:

•    Long-Term Impact: Allowing the bungalow resort will permanently alter and likely destroy Keauhou Bay's ecosystem.

•    Conservation Priority: Emphasis on conserving the bay as a natural habitat for endangered species and marine life.

•    Community Responsibility: Urge decision-makers to consider the long-term environmental, economic, and community impacts before approving the development

You can easily research info to add to your Researched Comment Letter just by Google Searching questions like, "What happens to marine life in developed bays?"

Because when you ask questions, you get scientific researched article answers directly from Goolge and you then can copy and past this researched scientific article to your Comment Letter. Make sure to copy and paste the website address link from where you found it so the information can be proven.

This is how I created the Researched Comment Letter you can use that's on page titled "Shared Keauhou Bay Comment Letter". 

This letter is to help you however it can. You can add comments to it, just send it as your own, or use it for ideas for your letter.

This link https://g70.commentinput.com/?id=4fpJYcNjx2  is Kamehameha Schools EIS Comment link and it has great instructions on how to research a Comment Letter for their EIS, and just sending a Comment Letter is very important!