Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – State Representatives Cory Chun and Rachele F. Lamosao express their support for the City's decision to eliminate Waipiʻo Peninsula as a potential future landfill site, following an assessment conducted by the U.S. Navy. This announcement came just a day after the House of Representatives adopted HR 77 HD1, which urged the City to reconsider using the Waipiʻo Soccer Complex as its next landfill site.
On April 15, 2024, Representative Cory Chun (D-35 Portions of Pearl City and Waipahū, Crestview) issued the following remarks on the House Floor stating, "The Waipahū community has shouldered the burden of hosting a landfill site. From 1943 to 1972, the Waipahū Incinerator Ash Landfill and Dump took in municipal solid waste. Despite stopping the disposal of municipal solid waste in 1972, the site continued to take industrial waste, ash, sewage, and sludge until November 1991. Not only has Waipahū shared the burden of having a landfill in its community, but the site of the proposed landfill at the Waipiʻo Soccer Complex on the Waipiʻo Peninsula has already been used in this manner."
Chun also highlighted Waipiʻo Soccer Complex's significance to the community and noted its proximity to the Pouhala Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, raising serious environmental concerns regarding the impact on local wildlife and natural habitat if a landfill were to be established nearby.
Rachele F. Lamosao (D-36 Waipahū) remarked, "The Waipiʻo Soccer Complex is a prized gem for Hawaiʻi's soccer community. Many youth tournaments are held throughout the year at the park, also attracting major teams and events from other states and countries. Even the United States Women's Soccer Team utilized the facility for practice when visiting Hawaiʻi in 2015 after winning the World Cup. It is a win for our community that we can preserve this space for Hawaiʻi's athletes to practice and thrive."
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Cathy S . Lee
Director of Communications
House Communications