Shoreline restoration NEEDS to be more heavily studied before being rushed into action. ESPECIALLY with “public” funding for the benefit of private equity and ownership. Environmental impact statements should look decades into the future. These man made structures would be a temporary solve considering projections for the rising of oceans in coming decades. Not only are they hideous additions that disturb reef and marine environments but they alter it permanently and cannot be reversed without consequence. This is a selfish endeavor by those that stand to benefit financially. There is little to no desire by the public, and outright anger from locals. Public opinion should be considered the number one priority since all beaches are considered owned by the people. The people of Maui County say NO to this project and will continue to say NO to this project.
There are many reasons to strongly oppose this project - but i will sum them up in as few words as possible.
- humans have tried way too many times to interfere in Nature - indigenous peoples - Hawaiians - knew the ways of nature, and respected it. Kawena Pukui Ōlelo Noʻeau #531 "He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka" (The land is a chief, man is its servant)
- developers and others know that building near the ocean automatically creates a situation of potential problems - but the lure of the money outweighs common sense and the manaʻo of kanaka and long time residents that tell them ʻno build thereʻ -
- mahalo for providing this online opportunity to be heard. in the 70ʻs when all this craziness started, we found things out after the fact :( And we TRUSTED the politicians and the decision makers to take care of us. Sadly we got sold out over and over, and really had no voice, because stuff was done behind closed doors, and by the time the Maui News reported it, or we saw the construction, it was already a done deal! We said at one time ʻevery time it rains in Kihei, there is a new condoʻ With the advent of social media, and thanks to the people who research and share things, we can now SPEAK UP. Mahalo - Kī Kiaʻi Maui - Eō.
Beyond the issue that this may be useless or even an eco-disaster, The investors on these properties have collectively made 100s of millions if not billions. They should pay for any shoreline restoration, not taxpayers.
There is a wealth of information readily available about the failure of installing groins to save a beach (here's just one: https://coastalcare.org/2009/02/the-negative-impacts-of-groins/) and it is well documented it simply moves the erosion down current.
Most of the supporting arguments here appear to come from the condo owners in this area understandably wanting to save their units/investments, but passing the problem on to the next beach is not an acceptable "solution".
It is futile to push the ocean back as there are hidden issues that occur to the water table and liquefaction of the coastal area as it is gradually inundated. Adding sand does not change this.
The condo owners recognize it is a hard sell to recoup beachfront investments when they stand in the ocean, so they are willing to look the other way regarding moving their erosion onto their neighbors, so they will support the county installing groins so the lucky ones can sell quickly, eventually leaving a rotting structure beyond repair standing in the ocean.
Obviously, the county approved and issued building permits for all these threatened structures at some point in the past and would prefer to dodge an infinite number of looming lawsuits, at least on their watch. Hence, the county supports groins and "beach nourishment", a pointless and costly exercise in deferred responsibility.
It is time for the county to stop encouraging false solutions. I watched in amazement as the county approved a beachfront lot for a very large home in a liquefaction zone in Lahaina a few years back. It necessitated removal of ALL sand/soil on the lot down to the water table and truckload after truckload of gravel/fill to be packed down back to the old level plus a massive 6-7 foot concrete raft foundation on which to perch the house. Meanwhile the county claims they are limiting coastal construction in erosion prone areas...HA! (And BTW the old injection well problem has been "solved" by allowing all new construction to make their own injection wells so they don't overload our inadequate sewage treatment facility, I am not joking.)
Maybe this administration will be the brave one to really come up with a solution, but I am not holding my breath.
th
So at what point will this now massive issue be resolved? It is only growing bigger as we wait.
NO GROINS!
Shoreline restoration NEEDS to be more heavily studied before being rushed into action. ESPECIALLY with “public” funding for the benefit of private equity and ownership. Environmental impact statements should look decades into the future. These man made structures would be a temporary solve considering projections for the rising of oceans in coming decades. Not only are they hideous additions that disturb reef and marine environments but they alter it permanently and cannot be reversed without consequence. This is a selfish endeavor by those that stand to benefit financially. There is little to no desire by the public, and outright anger from locals. Public opinion should be considered the number one priority since all beaches are considered owned by the people. The people of Maui County say NO to this project and will continue to say NO to this project.
There are many reasons to strongly oppose this project - but i will sum them up in as few words as possible.
- humans have tried way too many times to interfere in Nature - indigenous peoples - Hawaiians - knew the ways of nature, and respected it. Kawena Pukui Ōlelo Noʻeau #531 "He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka" (The land is a chief, man is its servant)
- developers and others know that building near the ocean automatically creates a situation of potential problems - but the lure of the money outweighs common sense and the manaʻo of kanaka and long time residents that tell them ʻno build thereʻ -
- mahalo for providing this online opportunity to be heard. in the 70ʻs when all this craziness started, we found things out after the fact :( And we TRUSTED the politicians and the decision makers to take care of us. Sadly we got sold out over and over, and really had no voice, because stuff was done behind closed doors, and by the time the Maui News reported it, or we saw the construction, it was already a done deal! We said at one time ʻevery time it rains in Kihei, there is a new condoʻ With the advent of social media, and thanks to the people who research and share things, we can now SPEAK UP. Mahalo - Kī Kiaʻi Maui - Eō.
Beyond the issue that this may be useless or even an eco-disaster, The investors on these properties have collectively made 100s of millions if not billions. They should pay for any shoreline restoration, not taxpayers.
There is a wealth of information readily available about the failure of installing groins to save a beach (here's just one: https://coastalcare.org/2009/02/the-negative-impacts-of-groins/) and it is well documented it simply moves the erosion down current.
Most of the supporting arguments here appear to come from the condo owners in this area understandably wanting to save their units/investments, but passing the problem on to the next beach is not an acceptable "solution".
It is futile to push the ocean back as there are hidden issues that occur to the water table and liquefaction of the coastal area as it is gradually inundated. Adding sand does not change this.
The condo owners recognize it is a hard sell to recoup beachfront investments when they stand in the ocean, so they are willing to look the other way regarding moving their erosion onto their neighbors, so they will support the county installing groins so the lucky ones can sell quickly, eventually leaving a rotting structure beyond repair standing in the ocean.
Obviously, the county approved and issued building permits for all these threatened structures at some point in the past and would prefer to dodge an infinite number of looming lawsuits, at least on their watch. Hence, the county supports groins and "beach nourishment", a pointless and costly exercise in deferred responsibility.
It is time for the county to stop encouraging false solutions. I watched in amazement as the county approved a beachfront lot for a very large home in a liquefaction zone in Lahaina a few years back. It necessitated removal of ALL sand/soil on the lot down to the water table and truckload after truckload of gravel/fill to be packed down back to the old level plus a massive 6-7 foot concrete raft foundation on which to perch the house. Meanwhile the county claims they are limiting coastal construction in erosion prone areas...HA! (And BTW the old injection well problem has been "solved" by allowing all new construction to make their own injection wells so they don't overload our inadequate sewage treatment facility, I am not joking.)
Maybe this administration will be the brave one to really come up with a solution, but I am not holding my breath.
th
So at what point will this now massive issue be resolved? It is only growing bigger as we wait.
NO GROINS!