Open field burning by Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar is a permitted activity (See 2012 Permit here), regulated by the State Department of Health (DOH) Clean Air Branch.
The 2012 Agricultural Burning Permit covers 15,439 acres (roughly half of sugar cane production) from March 20th through October 10th (though delays in burning will likely push the season into November, as was the case last year). There is no scheduled burning in December, January, and February (other than coal combustion at the Puunene Mill).
Those affected by specific burns can report the day, time, and location to the State Dept. of Health – Clean Air Branch and to specifically ask to register a complaint. Please be sure to include: Your name & address, date, time, location of smoke. Here are those contacts:
If you experienced health effects please fill out the Maui Tomorrow Cane Burning Health Survey
Blake Shiigi, DOH-CAB Environmental Health Specialist (Maui) blake.shiigi@doh.hawaii.gov 808 984-8234
Lisa Young, DOH-CAB Environmental Health Specialist (Oahu)CAB.General@doh.hawaii.gov
Gary Gill, Deputy Director of Environmental Health (Oahu)
Gary.gill@doh.hawaii.gov
Additionally, it would be good to cc letters or messages to HC&S and the EPA:
Kerry Drake, EPA Region 9 Air Quality Specialist (San Francisco)
Drake.kerry@ epa.gov (or try drake.kerry@epamail.epa.gov )
Rick Volner, Jr., HC&S General Plantation Manager
rvolner@hcsugar.com 808 877-6961
To alert the Mayor’s Office that you are contacting these agencies, you may cc:
Rob Parsons, Maui County Environmental Coordinator robert.parsons@mauicounty.gov
To include all nine County Council members: County.clerk@mauicounty.us
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Mike says
September 28, 2012 at 10:44 pmJust because Maui sugar growers have harvested sugar cane by sugar cane burns for over a century doesn’t make it right. People have smoked cigarettes for over a century and that doesn’t make cigarette smoking healthy, we’ve all come to realize that. We who live on Maui do not have to accept sugar cane burns. It’s time to change. The future is now. Let’s get together and be the change.
dhyan sandhya says
September 22, 2012 at 8:56 pmThe worst thing is waking up in the morning wondering why you feel bad…..then realizing you have been breathing cane smoke all night long unknowingly because you innocently left your windows open for fresh air. Why is it I have to shut my windows….why isn’t something done to stop the burning smoke? Compare it to cigarette smoking…..do I have to protect myself or does the cigarette smoker have to contain his smoke. Why is it my responsibility to shield myself from things that are damaging to my health? Other islands have shifted so can we….no excuse is reasonable when it comes to health.
joan says
September 20, 2012 at 1:38 pmPlease stop Cane burning. It is bad for the keike and everyone on our island. With so much beauty, shouldn’t we also want the best air quality?
Let us treat each other with respect and stop Cane burning.
Laura L Stout says
September 18, 2012 at 12:28 pmI could not sleep last night due to overbearing smoke smell, sore throat, watery eyes, headache and clogged sinus’s. It is 12:20 PM now and I feel HORRIBLE!!! I can hardly even function! When I went out to get my news paper, my entire driveway, house, yard and autos were completely covered with black ash from the cane burn last night.
I am so sick and tired of this! Both me and my roommate have had occasion to have to miss work due to the above effects of the cane burning.
When will it ever stop? My chest/lungs even hurt last night when I tried to take a deep breath. Keeping the windows closed and the air conditioning on does NOT help!!! My electric bill was $711 last month as I was trying my last resort to keep the AC running and the windows closed. Is everyone expected to move off Maui or just die???
My doctor (Dr. Crow) has tested for EVERYTHING that it is possible to test for and everything came back negative except smoke. He says there is not a specific test to test for cane burning smoke and the only thing he could do was give me prescription nasal sprays and just hope it helped to relieve symptoms after/during the cane burns. It DOES NOT HELP MY SYMPTOMS AT ALL!!!!!! My dog even coughs!
Enough is enough! Stop killing us all!!!!
PLEASE STOP BURNING CANE!!
pattysmith says
September 20, 2012 at 11:33 amif we are to attempt to live healthy lives on this beautiful, tropical island , sugar cane burning must be stopped immediately!