February 27, 2024
Permanent Disposal Site for Lahaina ash and debris on agenda for Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting Wednesday
The community is encouraged to learn more about the status and process of selecting the final Permanent Disposal Site (PDS) for Lahaina wildfire ash and debris at the County of Maui’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the Lahaina Civic Center.
The meeting will include a County Department of Environmental Management presentation on the process of evaluating the final PDS, and how the results of recent community surveys have guided county officials in selecting the final site.
More than 2,700 people over a two-week period participated in County of Maui surveys on proposed permanent disposal sites for ash and debris from Lahaina. The results of the surveys were presented to community members during last Wednesday night’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting at the Lahaina Civic Center. Results of the community surveys are available at www.mauirecovers.org/debriscontainment.
From an original list of eight sites on island, public input and government officials have narrowed options to three potentially viable locations: the Central Maui Landfill area adjacent to the current Puʻunēnē landfill in Central Maui; a parcel mauka of the Wahikuli neighborhood in West Maui; and an area at Crater Village mauka of the Wahikuli parcel and the Lahaina Civic Center in West Maui.
A temporary debris storage site has been constructed at Olowalu while a permanent site is selected and built. The temporary site has been necessary to facilitate the safe removal of about 400,000 cubic yards of Lahaina wildfire ash and debris until the permanent site is constructed.
County officials originally set March 1 as the target date for selecting a PDS. With the community surveys and review of the proposed sites completed ahead of schedule, information on the final selection will be presented at the Feb. 28 Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting.
The meeting will be livestreamed on the County of Maui’s Facebook page and broadcast live on Akakū Maui Community Media on Channel 53 and re-broadcast on Channel 54. Recordings of previous Lahaina Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings can be found on the County of Maui Facebook page.
For more information on recovery efforts, visit www.mauirecovers.com.
County of Maui Recovery Permit Center
A vital resource for those who are looking to rebuild in fire-affected areas in Lahaina and Kula as they navigate the permitting process and take the next step toward returning home.
County of Maui Service Center
110 Alaihi St., Suite 207
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.