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Location of proposed project is no good

I read with great interest the Dec. 20 front-page item about the proposed affordable housing project for Kihei. Maui absolutely needs such housing.

It is disappointing to note, however, that the new housing is being placed adjacent to the existing cane fields. This means that the young families that might live there would be subject to the worst effects of smoke, ash, aerial spraying and dust generated in the fields. The chemicals in the downwind drift would spread all over the neighborhood like they currently do in the existing neighborhood.

Additionally, the soil where the homes are proposed likely contains the remnants of all past pesticide use in the area. Those families will plant their vegetable gardens in that soil. What will they be eating?

On Kauai, this did not work out very well. The developer had to remove the top soil after it was disclosed that it contained arsenic and other dangerous chemicals.

The development of housing next to this industrial cane production process places the health of any residents at risk. How will A&B convince the buyers the homes are safe as they are being covered in ash, dust and chemical overspray?

Steve Rodgers

Kihei

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