Show Rain Forests threatened in Hawaii Amanda Hughes News Editor nN ON the Big Island of ofHa Hawaii Ha Hawaii waif the s state tat e government and several companies companies companies com com- plan to replace much of Hawaii's imported d oil with geothermal power by 2007 Hawaii depends on foreign oil to generate 87 percent of its ts electricity Burning petroleum causes air pollution and bringing it itin itin itin in by tanker makes oil spills a danger Geothermal power is a proven te technology that provides a supply of dean na natural tural and renewable power The molten rock that lies underground in the volcanic volcanic volcanic vol vol- vol- vol canic land will be used for geothermal power r Although this project has positive attributes environmentalists environmentalists environmentalists environ environ- mentalists are not happy Local and national conservation conservation conservation conserva conserva- tion groups consider the geothermal project unsafe and unnecessary They argue the drilling rigs power plants transmission lines and roads in the plan will harm or destroy tracts of the precious Wao Kele 0 O Puna rain forest Tapping the earths earth's heat in this manner will also bring up dangerous hydrogen sulfide and sulfur- sulfur dioxide gases yet the Kilauea volcano just a few miles away sprays out far more of the very same gases Native Hawaiian religious groups fear the plan claiming claiming claiming claim claim- ing that it will rob the vol vol- vol- vol dwelling cano-dwelling goddess Pele of body heat So far only eight of acres have been bulldozed in preparation for installing the well 12 plant While this plan would destroy some native plants and animals some scientists argue that Wao Kele 0 O Puna has long since ceased to be pristine The forest has been invaded by pigs cats mongooses mongooses mongooses mon mon- gooses and exotic plants brought rought to Hawaii by immigration immigration immigration im im- im- im migration over oyer hundreds of years Environmentalists object object object ob ob- ob- ob that using the total area of cleared forest land to measure environmental damage is misleading The roads that connect cleared areas are also destructive since they provide avenues along which species from one area can invade another plant s seeds eds for example can stick to vehicle tires tires' Although Wao Kele 0 O Puna may not be totally genuine only 10 percent of the states state's original lowland rain forest remains un un- touched The forest is home to animals like the Hawaiian hawk and the happy-face happy spider as well as unique medicinal plants which have a quality and potency unique to the is is- is lands Those opposed to the development suggest that the plan is not only villainous villainous villainous vil vil- vil- vil but reckless Putting Putting Putting Put Put- ting power plants close to an active volcano is foolish They also worry about how the would get from the plant to Honolulu consumers The plan requires requires requires re re- re- re quires an under-sea under cable miles long crossing Channel This TIlis would be the longest and deepest under- under undersea sea electrical transmission line in the world This cables cable's construction construction construction tion might harm the Cape Kinau native reserve on Maui There are other alternatives alternatives alternatives tives to geothermal energy such as wind and solar power Environmentalists feel these and be given top priority |