Kamuela Vacuum Cooling Plant to be upgraded

Gov. David Ige has released $700,000 in state capital improvement project to demolish a warehouse, the clearing of related environmental hazards and upgrades at the Kamuela Vacuum Cooling Plant in Waimea.

Calling the plant “an important resource for area farmers to chill and pack produce to transport to market,” Rep. David Tarnas, a Democrat representing North and South Kohala and North Kona said the project “will improve environmental conditions at the facility by removing an old warehouse and structure that is no longer useful and may contain hazardous materials.”

Hawaii Board of Agriculture Chairwoman Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser said the upgrade “will definitely boost agricultural opportunities in one of the state’s most productive agricultural regions.”