On April 5 the Council of the County of Maui approved Resolution 24-57 “Authorizing proceedings in condemnation by eminent domain for the acquisition of real property interests known as Lot 1-B, Central Maui Sanitary Landfill Subdivision for Phase VI Expansion Operations.” This authorization allows the County to proceed with the condemnation process for the expansion of the Central Maui Landfill (CML) to accommodate limited airspace capacity which will allow the County to continue serving the people of Maui County by landfilling municipal solid waste (MSW).

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and Mayor Richard Bissen announced the proposed location of the Permanent Disposal Site (PDS) as the CML on Feb 28, 2024 at the Disaster Recovery Update meeting in Lahaina after weighing community input.

After deciding on the final location of the PDS, DEM’s next step was to engage in the land acquisition process for CML expansion which required Council approval.

Now that DEM has received the approval needed to proceed in condemnation by eminent domain of Lot 1-B of the CML, they will have to file a condemnation petition with the State Circuit Court, so that the County may begin the design and construction of the much needed PDS and expansion of CML.

This decision marks a major step towards returning Lahaina survivors to their properties and permanently disposing of the debris from the Aug 2023 Wildfires, along with securing additional airspace to accommodate future MSW generated on Maui island.

Ash and debris from Lahaina will continue to be removed by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and taken to the Temporary Storage Site (TDS) in Olowalu where it will remain until the PDS is constructed.

For more information and updates on the Permanent Disposal Site, visit mauirecovers.org/debris-containment