Aloha

In Puna, Hawaii, residents endure daily exposure to hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)—a toxic gas released by Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV), operated by Ormat Technologies (an Israeli-founded company with its main roots in Israel). Locals report repeated "gassing" causing eye irritation, respiratory issues, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and worse for decades. Yet Hawaii officials and regulators appear to minimize, downplay, or fail to at all address these chronic low-level releases H₂S, i

Aloha ohana – the winds of Puna carry not just the scent of rain on lava, but the toxic air that we all have to live in due to foriegn exploitation, the bitter cry of betrayal from our 'āina . In the fierce spirit of aoha 'āina – and Kapu Aloha--- that unbreakable love demanding justice for the land that bleeds under corporate greed – we uncover the Lyman family's role in Kapoho's ongoing suffering. This is no tale of stewardship; it's a stark exposure of corruption, where p

Context and Urgency: As of 03:48 PM HST, October 7, 2025, Amelung’s side-by-side image—showing thousands of quakes under PGV versus...

Aloha Puna community, In our exposé series on the Puna Geothermal Community Website, we confront a leader whose actions have fractured...

Aloha ʻĀina and the Broken Ahupuaʻa For centuries, the traditional Hawaiian ahupuaʻa framework protected life, land, and water across our islands. Water was managed holistically from ridge to reef—prioritizing ecological balance, natural stream flow, and community safety over commercial extraction. When industrial sugar plantations altered the natural topography, they carved horizontal ash-bed collection tunnels (such as the W.O. Clark and Noguchi tunnels) thousands of feet i

On June 25, 2026, the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) Clean Air Branch officially approved an amendment to Noncovered Source Permit No. 0008-02-N. Signed by Environmental Management Division Chief Joanna L. Seto, this paperwork officially gives Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) the green light to expand its power plant capacity from 41 MW to 46 MW. Along with the approval, the state included a "Response to Comments" document. When you read through it, a deeply concern

By Jasmine Steiner KahuPuna Aloha Activism | wearepuna.wixsite.com/aloha-activism Aloha kakou, Puna ohana. For decades, families in Lower Puna have lived in the shadow of Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV). Many deal with concerns over air quality, noise, water impacts, health uncertainties, and cultural desecration in Pele’s realm. A strong voice on the Hawaiʻi County Council—specifically our District 4 representative—can make a real difference in demanding transparency, oversigh

Aloha Ohana, we experienced a frightening night yesterday in our household. We awoke in the middle of the night to find gas surrounding our cabin and filling our home. It smelled like super strong chemicals and methane or propane, burning the throat. We had to shut all windows in our small cabin. Several residents in the area are reporting various symptoms today due to the "flow testing." I felt compelled to share a video clip I edited from a Facebook post by Robert Petricci

​When we stand up to protect our wahi pana (sacred places) from industrial exploitation, we often find ourselves hitting a wall of corporate misdirection. For years, our community has pointed out the deep international ties of Puna Geothermal Venture's parent company, Ormat Technologies. Yet, like clockwork, defenders of the status quo try to shut down the conversation by claiming, "Ormat isn't an Israeli company—its headquarters are in Reno, Nevada!" It raises the question:

​1. Active & Pending Citizen Actions that need Lahui Support in person at upcoming court dates (TBA) : ​Sara Steiner v. County of Hawaiʻi Planning Department, Zendo Kern (in his capacity of county Planning Director who accepted fraudulent EIS), and Puna Geothermal Venture (aka PGV , which is Ormat: Israeli owned geothermal in Hawaii ) ​Forum: Hawaiʻi Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) ​Status: HIGHLY ACTIVE / PENDING APPEAL ! ​The Issue: A direct challenge to the fast-tracke

Aloha Ohana, as I begin my first major essay at university as a master's student in criminal justice, I wanted to share some of my research for this paper. I hope it helps inform those who merely dismiss the idea that geothermal energy is toxic and potentially as harmful, if not more so, than oil fracking. The most common issue with geothermal is the misinformation surrounding it. People simply do not understand it and its procedures. This leads to mockery and uneducated deci

Aloha kākou Ohana. This is an urgent siren call from KahuPuna Aloha Activism. My heart is so heavy as I sit here on my porch at Pohoiki and look across the ocean towards the continent, more specifically though, towards Arizona. Arizona is where a catastrophic ecological collapse has just unfolded this past month (June 2026). Authorities officially declared a 100% fish die-off at San Carlos Lake, forcing an indefinite closure of the 19,500-acre reservoir due to toxic safety ha

Aloha kakou, Jazzy here ! I'm sitting here listening to the breeze at Pohoiki and the beautiful sounds of birds chirping, right in the heart of Pele’s realm, where the land breathes fire and the ocean sings ancient chants. I'm witnessing a profound moral dilemma unfolding. Everyone I follow from the islands is posting about it on Instagram and TikTok. A recent lawsuit challenges the eligibility rules of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), questioning whether Hawaiia

Geothermal energy is often praised as a clean and renewable power source. Yet, the expansion of geothermal projects, especially those led by companies like Ormat Technologies, has sparked significant community resistance and legal battles worldwide. In Hawaii, this conflict takes on a deeply personal dimension through the story of Sara Steiner, who is fighting not only a rare melanoma diagnosis but also the encroachment of Ormat’s geothermal operations near her home. This pos

Aloha Ohana! Today I closed my laptop after Day Two of classes at University of Phoenix (online) , and I just sat there for a minute, breathing it all in. This is my third time stepping back into college as an adult… but it’s only the FIRST time I’m an official Master’s student in Criminal Justice. I haven’t been in school since 2020, so yeah — the rhythm feels rusty, the readings are stacking up, and the little voice in my head keeps whispering “you sure you can do this? B

Puna families have been screaming into the void for half a century. Rotten-egg smells that burn your lungs. Headaches that never stop. Kids with breathing problems no doctor can fully explain. This isn’t “renewable energy done right.” In Hawaii’s volcanic hotspot, geothermal isn’t clean—it’s a toxic industrial neighbor that’s been gaslighting communities since the 1970s. The science is crystal clear. The doctors’ reports are public. The community testimonies fill thousands of

🚨🚨 URGENT: PGV IS RELEASING TOXIC CHEMICALS OVER OUR HOMES IN JUST 3 DAYS — April 7 or sooner. They also believe they can legally only give the world same day notice as thats when they plan to put it in the Hawaii Tribune herald #AOLE ! ⚠️⚠️ Aloha kakou, Puna 'Ohana. People are already sick. Families are terrified. Authorities continue to ignore us. PGV recently sent this "courtesy" email to a small group of residents, excluding others like me and my family, who are in the

By Jasmine Steiner, KahuPuna Aloha Activism – Aloha Ola O Ka Pono Puna, Hawaiʻi April 2nd 2026 For decades, those of us born and raised in Puna have lived right next to Israeli Ormat's Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV). We've smelled the rotten-egg odor from hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) releases, dealt with brine aerosols and other emissions listed in PGV's own emergency plans, and watched our families and neighbors struggle with health issues. Many in our community have long suspected

Aloha Puna Ohana, As we navigate the current legislative session, it’s becoming increasingly clear that our community’s vigilance is our strongest tool. We are currently facing a wave of bills—specifically SB3081, HB1981, and SB2151 —that threaten to expand state emergency powers and fast-track geothermal projects without the robust environmental oversight our land requires. Go to capitol.hawaii.gov to create your measure tracking list today ! The "Late Testimony" Tactic One

By Jasmine Steiner – Born and raised in Lower Puna since 1988, watching israeli owned ormat operations in her front and backyards destroy everything she has ever known and loved, daughter of the ‘āina, granddaughter of the salt air and red dirt Aloha kakou, my ‘ohana, I’m sitting here in lower Puna tonight, in my cabin on my off grid homestead on Pohoiki Road, one mile directly downwind from the islands cancer factory Puna Geothermal Venture, the same community I’ve called ho