The long-term response to the Waikīkī Beach erosion is being put at the doorstep of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Mary Alice Evans heads the Office of State Planning and represents DBEDT as it takes the lead on the long-term fixes and the Waikīkī resiliency plan.
Evans shared that the recent passage of the Green Fee will help the effort to respond to Waikīkīʻs coastal erosion. The fee would raise funds by dedicating a portion of the transient accommodations tax levied on hotels rooms and now cruise lines to help offset the impacts of the visitor industry on the environment and to prioritize beach resiliency along the engineered shoreline that is Waikīkī.
HPR talked to her about DBEDT's plans going forward to lead the effort to restore Waikīkī's shoreline.
This interview aired on The Conversation on May 8, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
