Crews clearing 1,200 tons of lava rock from transfer station

[Buster's Uncle]

Crews clearing 1,200 tons of lava rock from transfer station
Associated Press  16 hours ago



In this Feb. 4, 2015 photo provided by the County of Hawaii, heavy equipment begins to break up hardened lava that flowed into a trash transfer station near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Work is under way to clear more than 800 cubic yards of lava rock — weighing about 1,200 tons - so the transfer station can reopen in March. Workers also must reinstall a large water tank, reconnect electricity and do other repairs before the station can reopen, County Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd said. The June 27 lava flow from Kilauea volcano forced the transfer station to close in October in anticipation of the slow-moving molten rock, that oozed through the station's fence in November. It pooled on a driveway before stalling. (AP Photo/County of Hawaii, Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd)



HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Work is underway to clear 40 truckloads of rock left behind after lava poured through a Big Island trash transfer station.

The county is getting ready to reopen the Pahoa solid waste transfer station in March. But first, crews need to clear more than 800 cubic yards — or about 1,200 tons — of lava rock. A construction company started breaking apart and hauling away the rock this week.

Workers also must reinstall a large water tank, reconnect electricity and do other repairs before the station can reopen, County Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd said.

The June 27 lava flow from Kilauea volcano forced the transfer station to close in October in anticipation of the slow-moving molten rock.

Lava oozed through the station's fence in November. It pooled on a driveway before stalling.

It's possible the lava could threaten the station again, but the risk is low for now, Leithead Todd told Hawaii Tribune-Herald (http://ow.ly/IyGM9 ).



In this Feb. 4, 2015 photo provided by the County of Hawaii, heavy equipment has begun to break up hardened lava that flowed into a trash transfer station near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii in Hawaii. Work is under way to clear more than 800 cubic yards of lava rock — weighing about 1,200 tons - so the transfer station can reopen in March. Workers also must reinstall a large water tank, reconnect electricity and do other repairs before the station can reopen, County Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd said. The June 27 lava flow from Kilauea volcano forced the transfer station to close in October in anticipation of the slow-moving molten rock that oozed through the station's fence in November. It pooled on a driveway before stalling. (AP Photo/County of Hawaii, Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd)


Reopening the transfer station is estimated to cost between $85,000 and $100,000, Leithead Todd said. Repaving could cost between $30,000 and $60,000. Loeffler Construction won the bid for removing the rock for $8,500.

Some of the rock will remain.

"We are going to build a couple of small walls around a few of the plants, and we're going to use some of it just as a feature," Leithead Todd said.

Lava that flowed down an embankment also will remain as long as it doesn't interfere with the facility's operations.

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Information from: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/

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http://news.yahoo.com/40-truckloads-lava-rock-being-cleared-transfer-station-200924342.html

[Geo]

The lava didn't damage the pavement when it flew ovet it?

[Buster's Uncle]

Looks like concrete slab in the second pic.  -Still a wonder, you're right.