A temporary storage site for Lahaina fire debris is under construction in Olowalu on Maui.
The permanent site has not yet been decided, according to county officials speaking to hundreds of concerned Lahaina residents at a meeting this week.
Debris removal is done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, set to begin next month.
They recycle as much material as possible, remove the top 6 inches of soil then wrap it in plastic before transporting it to the temporary debris site. The removed soil will be tested for contaminants and if needed, an additional 6 inches of soil will be removed from the burn site.
The federal cleanup program requires a right of entry to be signed by private property owners to opt in.
Col. Jesse Curry with the Army Corp said the Olowalu site will begin receiving material in mid-January.
“Emphasizing the purpose of the temporary debris storage site is as rapidly as possible for us to address the environmental hazards that are currently on the ground in Lahaina and get those into a controlled environment," he said. "So the temporary debris storage site is under construction today. It has been under construction for a few weeks now.”
“It is templated to be complete by early February,” Curry continued. “We do anticipate for our contractor to be able to start receiving material at that location in the middle of January.”
Shayne Agawa, the director of Maui County’s Department of Environmental Management, said the county narrowed the permanent debris site options to six locations on Maui, then added two more based on public feedback.
The proposed sites are rated on criteria such as proximity to Lahaina, buffer from schools and hospitals, environmental impacts and how quickly the land can be acquired.
“Our task under our department is to determine a final disposition site for the debris coming from Lahaina. There was some misunderstanding about the Olowalu site. We have not found the site to be the final site. They're still vetting that,” he explained.
The Olowalu site has raised environmental concerns among residents, pointing to its proximity to the reef.
Agawa described a lining system for the debris site, as well as sensors to monitor for any leaking.
Curry said protections are in place to ensure “environmental hazards are mitigated to the extent possible.”
“Our department’s purview is for the public health and safety and environmental responsibility,” Agawa said. “The critical [nature] of the debris being out in Lahaina was paramount, in addition to getting the infrastructure back up.”
Agawa said sending debris out-of-state is not an option because of excessive cost and the length of time those logistics would require.
The county urges Lahaina residents to complete a survey emailed to them thousands hosted by the grassroots community group Lahaina Strong to help decide the final debris site.
The grassroots community group Lahaina Strong has already emailed a survey to thousands of Lahaina residents to help officials decide on the final debris site. As of earlier this week, the group has received about 800 responses.
