Testimony on AUGUST 2023 MAUI WILDFIRES TEMPORARY DEBRIS DISPOSAL SITE AND FINAL DEBRIS DISPOSAL SITE (DRIP-2(13))
From: Tamara Li Farnsworth
Aloha mai kākou Chair Paltin and members of the committee, Mayor, and representatives of the various agencies. My name is Tamara Farnsworth and I am testifying on my own behalf and not as a representative of any organization or my employer. I worked for the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) for ten years, five of those as the manager of Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division. I am working with a conservation organization now, focused in Olowalu and Ukumehame ahupua`a. I am not a landfill expert, but I worked for years alongside the Solid Waste Division in the development of composting sites within Central Maui Landfill and am familiar with landfill engineering. I was also the Chair of the County’s 2022-2023 Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan update and I also received many years of training on disaster debris management for the county. With this experience, I do understand the immense challenges before everyone in this chamber and that you are all doing your best to come to the right decisions right now.
Ultimately, I am very concerned about expedient removal of ash and debris from Lahaina and I am equally concerned about disposal of ash and debris at Olowalu because both pose great risk of harm to the environment and our people. I am hoping that the communities of Lahaina and Olowalu can come together and find a common ground so that we can all move forward together to address the known and potential risks at hand. There are many items I have mana`o on, but today I will share two proposals that I am not sure have been brought up today. These are about an alternative site at the Central Maui Landfill for final disposition and bioremediation with biochar to mitigate toxicity of Lahaina’s ash and soils.
I am aware of a parcel that I believe was previously permitted to be a landfill, meaning it has already gone through the EA or EIS process, that is adjacent to the current landfill in Central Maui. This parcel is currently owned by a private entity. I would like to request that the County explore taking possession of this parcel as quickly as possible to pursue using this parcel as a final disposition site for Lahaina’s ash and debris rather than in Olowalu.
I would implore the land owner and partners to consider selling this land at market value or an amount acceptable to all parties or to delay a land swap until a suitable trade can be located and acquired. I am asking this to the land owner and their partners to consider this as a gift and as is your kuleana to the Maui and Lahaina community. Please, sell that land to the county right away.
If this is not possible, I would ask that that the Department of Environmental Management, Mayor and the county council move toward eminent domain for this parcel. This is something I think should have happened a long time ago; I now view it as imperative. This area has no residents close by and the owner would receive a fair payment for the land. If you cannot find a quick agreement with the land owner, I am asking you to be bold in this matter. I believe the community will back you on this, especially if it offers a feasible alternative to the proposed site in Olowalu.
I would also like to propose that the USACE and the county consider gasification technology for long term and to invite an expert such as Dr. Ratner (who testifier Tim Gunther mentioned) to present along with Brittany from Yummet. While I have many questions about pyrolysis or gasification of already combusted materials, I think all options should be explored.
Additionally, I would like for the county to pursue bioremediation of the ash both prior to debris removal as well as treating in within the TDSR and the final disposition site. Specifically, within the proposed disposal sites, I propose applying a layer of appropriately “charged” hardwood biochar on top of the landfill liner prior to depositing any materials into a landfill site. Properly prepared biochar can be effective at not only absorbing leachates and mitigating liquid runoff, but it is also effective at removing and binding certain heavy metals. Once heavy metals have been extracted and “bound” within that biochar, they are rendered inert and no longer “bioavailable” in the environment. I ask that USACE, FEMA, and County consider the use of biochar as an additional protective measure for all of the proposed landfill cells as well as associated leachate retention basins. This is a technical matter that needs expert advisement. While I am not advocating for their company per se, Uki`u Farms in Kula has expertise on this and could consult with the county on best practices. They have recently worked with a company on lining a construction site retention basin and shared this idea with me
Mahalo nui for all of your diligent work and for the opportunity to testify on this matter.
I want to express my strong opposition to the Olowalu site being considered either as a temporary or long-term solution for our current situation. Instead, I wholeheartedly support the idea of utilizing the Central Maui Landfill as the temporary site. I believe we must explore alternative options to address this issue.
While I initially found the concept of using containers appealing, I now realize that it only postpones the inevitable removal of debris and adds unnecessary costs. Additionally, it doesnʻt pencil out. The Central Maui Landfill, on the other hand, is a suitable location for a temporary site. It not only offers potential expansion possibilities but is also equipped to handle hazardous materials properly.
I believe it is essential to provide the community with more information and involve them in the decision-making process for both short-term and long-term solutions to this significant problem. The materials in question are toxic and hazardous, and continuing to store them in an area ill-suited for such purposes will only lead to further contamination and harm to the community, natural resources and cultural sites.
The Central Maui Landfill is a mere 19 miles away from Olowalu, making it a convenient and viable temporary site. I strongly advocate for utilizing this landfill as a more suitable option.
The kaiāulu has made it crystal clear how overwhelmingly against they are of having Olowalu as the temporary (and likely future permanent site) for debris, yet this Council voted 7-2 in favor of proceeding anyway. Multiple meetings later, including this special committee meeting has resulted in hundreds of written + oral testimony continuing to oppose. There has been countless alternative solutions presented and should be explored. Your elected seats are intended to speak and vote on behalf of the people. Let's start demonstrating that.
From the perspective of sound decision-making in disaster mitigation, decision-makers must take into account the risks inherent in the natural landscape and how they intersect with populations and the surrounding ecosystem. In arguments made by the County and FEMA in favor of this landfill site, we heard reassurances about the landfill being constructed with greater strength and reinforcement than the Central Maui Landfill.
However, there are key geographic and topographic differences between the Central Maui Landfill and the proposed Olowalu site that have gone unrecognized in their analysis. The Central Maui landfill also did not contain substantial historical treasures and archeological features as does the current site at Olowalu.
The toxic landfill at Olowalu lies at the basin of a natural watershed prone to flash flooding during heavy rainfall events. Only one significant rainfall and the water will rush through this site and into the ocean located only 600 yards away. There is no engineering or construction within the site capable of retaining the volume of water that flows through the valley during heavy rainstorms. It will be diverted and washed into the ocean and leach into the ground.
The second natural feature, but one of the most important features overlooked by the County of Maui and FEMA in their "risk analysis" is one of the world's most revered and biologically important coral reef ecosystems within the Hawaiian Islands.
Olowalu Reef is a declared Mission Blue Hope Spot (a place critical to the health of our oceans), and has been described as Maui's “Mother Reef” because it is a primary source of coral larvae for the reefs of Lana’i, Moloka’i, and West Maui.
It is a revered sanctuary for Maui’s humpback whales and whale-birthing calves and harbors the largest manta ray population in the United States. Its rich diversity of rare and unique coral species, whales, and marine life draws millions of visitors and revenue to Maui each year. Any amount of risk to this environment poses an enormous economic risk to the whole of Maui and Hawaii.
The third feature overlooked in the County and FEMA's "risk analysis" are sacred Hawaiian cultural sites that have been ignored. As the County gives lip service to being culturally sensitive in the handling of the waste in Lahaina, it stands to desecrate significant archeological sites of importance to Hawaiians.
Olowalu Valley holds immense history as well as an enduring population of lineal descendants who stand to lose the most treasured thing within their culture—the land. These people of the Olowalu Valley are the same ones who taught us to aloha ʻāina, and they now face toxic waste poisoning from prevailing winds frequent in the valley that will lift toxic soil and ash and deposit it into their kalo farms, and the ocean—poisoning both food supplies.
FEMA reassured participants in today's meeting that the toxicity of this waste only has a 90-day shelf life. The scientific community knows better.
The wealth of research contained in the attached fact sheet from the National Institute of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the World Health Organization, and countless others verify the lethality and longevity of the types of compounds and toxins in wildfire debris such as dioxin. These are heavily prevalent in urban wildfire settings and are "forever toxins." Dioxin in particular has no safe limits for exposure according to the scientific literature.
Attached with this testimony is The Wildfire Guide to Recovery highlighting the very serious concern dioxin poses to our population and marine ecosystem. It is used by fire departments and remediation teams throughout the United States including CalFire, the California Fire Chief's Association, the California Emergency Management Agency, and hundreds of wildfire control and debris remediation organizations across the United States.
Finally, in spite of the design plans presented by the County of the Olowalu Toxic Waste Landfill, chemical and biological engineers who have expertise in the construction of similar types of sites, agree that the porous cinder rock and loose sediment foundation of the dump and its liner, slated to hold 400,000 tons of debris, is NOT architecturally sound or stable.
The positioning of the dump in a watershed atop loose sediment makes it subject to rapid erosion, especially during rainfall events. As erosion occurs, the liner will shift and tear along stress points, and leachate of toxins will occur. According to the EPA, even under low-stress conditions devoid of these concerns, all landfills eventually fail due to leaching into the surrounding environment. This is cited in the fact sheet data and research document attached.
Forever poisons like dioxin will leach. It is proven through the EPA's findings and in similar sites constructed adjacent to coral reef systems—some of which are now classified as the most toxic reefs in the world (See attached research on Bermuda's toxic landfill by the see and effects of dioxin on marine life).
Even small amounts of dioxin particulate matter can cause serious harm to the health of the people of Maui and our marine life including cancer, sterility, birth defects, neurological disorders, and more. Dioxin also bioaccumulates in the food chain, making it impossible to remove or effectively remediate. Once the damage is done, there is no going back, hence its classification as a "forever" poison. The cost is truly incalculable and will present itself well into the future and create irreparable injury to the people, ecosystem, and economy of Maui.
The County would be hard-pressed to find a single expert versed in multivariate risk analysis to agree that the current site is acceptable given its proximity to a natural watershed atop loose sediment, with a popular recreational and surf area for children and thousands of visitors beneath it; as well as the most vital coral reef ecosystem spawning life for nearby islands and a marine sanctuary for hundreds of birthing humpback whales and their babies.
These concerns were echoed in today's meeting by experts who possess far greater knowledge of the scientific risks and technological advancements that provide alternatives to this plan. Hundreds (possibly nearing a thousand) of people spoke out in extreme opposition to the temporary and permanent toxic waste landfill sites selected to house 400,000 tons of the most lethal chemical compounds and carcinogens known to mankind.
This will become Maui's "Red Hill" disaster, but sadly, there will be no amount of money capable of remediating its effects long-term.
ALTERNATIVES FOR CONSIDERATION
Among the experts who testified in opposition were university specialists in bioremediation, the world's most respected and celebrated marine biologist Sylvia Earle, chemical and biological engineers with expertise in the construction of toxic waste landfills and disposal of toxic debris, and engineers with operational experience in the application of advanced technologies such as gasification, pyrolysis, and biochar—all proven technologies for remediating extremely toxic carcinogen-laden waste as an alternative to the proposed plans.
We also heard sound arguments for selecting a temporary toxic waste storage site within the Lahaina burn zone, to eliminate the spread of toxic contaminants to other uncontaminated precious ocean ecosystems and the Hawaiian villages within the Olowalu Valley. Sites suggested include the already toxic site near the smoke stack in Lahaina or other nearby properties.
The County can use its legal instrument of eminent domain to acquire an appropriate site within Lahaina temporarily that is situated away from population centers to quickly contain and store waste in containers at that controlled facility for their final destination. Preferably, would find a property owner and make a deal to lease the site temporarily for a fee and agree to fully remediate it once operations are complete. This approach holds the added benefit of being fast and efficient to clear debris when located nearby.
Following that, the permanent management of waste could be done with a processing plant on Maui to neutralize toxins, decompose waste, and use the byproducts as fuel. There are many technologies provided in expert testimonies worthy of consideration.
CONCLUSION
A good government is designed to protect all of the people and our natural resources and to listen to the public wishes and inputs of those they represent. We the People will not accept a toxic waste landfill with 400,000 tons of the most toxic debris on top of corals, whales, and sacred Hawaiian lands.
Maui County established an ordinance to minimize runoff of pollutants into nearshore waters and air, aquatic, and marine environments as part of its commitments to the United Nations Sustainability Goals to mitigate climate change and work toward resilience.
Even in the face of a disaster, it must adopt a collaborative, evidence-based approach to decision-making when attempting to solve the most complex problems we face today by consulting with outside experts.
We are stronger when we work together and can build a brighter, more sustainable future for Maui and provide a more positive example to the world than a toxic waste landfill on top of a marine sanctuary and Hawaiian sacred land.
Thank you for taking the time to hear the community on this super important issue. I am strongly & completely opposed to the use of the site at Olowalu for any storage of the toxic wastes from Lahaina. We already have a huge environmental disaster from the fire itself and we certainly don't need to be creating another one for our future generations. There is absolutely NO way that if we put this waste in this location that it will not end up in our ocean polluting our super important mother reef that exists at Olowalu. That reef is very, very important to our ocean ecosystems and is an invaluable resource and it's already severly stressed and damaged by human activity but there are currently signs of rejuvenation. I think we need to think about this logically - no one wants toxic waste in their backyard and if we're being honest there is NO good place for waste like that to remain safe on an island such as ours with the extreme weathers that we have but Olowalu might just be the worst place possible of all the many options. That cinder is not the right type of soil for containment. Period.
I think there has to be further consideration of Kahoolawe which is already terribly polluted from the over 50 years of bombing that occurred there at the hands of our government. It doesn't have an aquifer that's supporting a population and I'd guess there are more solid types of geological soil there than the cinders of Olowalu.
Placing the waste into containers sounds like a fantastic temporary solution - yes it would be many... by my brief calculations we can fit 217 10x20 containers on an acre of land and it would take about 60 acres to hold all of this waste in a single height layer but only 30 acres if two story's and even less if three...There are thousands of acres of bare land in the isthmus that could hold this temporarily.
The other super important thing I want to say is that if the government is interested in taking swift careless actions please make those decisions in the interest of the people effected by this disaster. Take away the short term rentals and give our residents housing security for the next 5 years so that they can actually participate in the rebuild of their world and focus on something other than how they're going to survive. Give them the secure sense of home they need to process thier grief and heal. It's been 5 months and our people have no reliable solutions for permanent housing because you're afraid of what? bad press? lawsuits? The inaction of our government to support our residents that have become victims due to the failure of government oversight/action in the first place is beyond disgraceful. The effects of this reckless decision of putting toxic waste in a sensitive place that has none is far greater than anything that could happen by giving our families semipermanent housing and dignity. The truth is it's going to be 3-5 years before anyone is living in the burn zone again and anyone with any intelligence can see that - they need solutions NOW! Please, think of our next generations - think long term, this is not a good idea at all. Mahalo for considering our voices - this is our home.
Aloha, I am a resident of Makawao and still listening to the committee meeting with final public comments. I implore you to reverse the decision to store toxic waste at Olowalu, temporary or permanent. Many local and national community members testified today, voicing legitimate concerns, asking pertinent questions, offering expertise and proposing possible alternative solutions. As an organizational and community development consultant, I specialize in facilitating collaborative processes that bring people with diverse perspectives together to create shared visions and plans to address complex community change initiatives. To move forward with this plan will not only irrevocably risk the health of the land and water, it will also create irreparable harm to any remaining trust that exists between the local government and its citizens. There are many considerations but moving swiftly at the expense of Maui’s reef and fresh water, potentially contaminating it for generations, is not acceptable. FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers are not the only experts and we are all dealing with a situation that has never been seen before. The challenges of recovery are somewhat different here in Maui than in California or other places on the continent. Please respond to the questions that so many community members have asked and consider alternative solutions. Mahalo. Deb Marois
As someone who has been a part of the Kula communityʻs Phase 2 Debris Removal process, I am wanting to make a comment about the suggestion that debris and ash be held in place (in the Lāhainā burn zone). The Phase 2 process concludes with scraping of contaminated soils in places where buildings and vehicles burned, with the hope that rebuilding can take place. Unfortunately, keeping the removed debris in place will prevent Phase 2 from concluding with the soil scraping process, which is the only hope landowners have of possibly rebuilding and moving forward with their lives. Unfortunately, the temporary debris site needs to be outside of the burn zone for this reason.
I was in the meeting this morning for 3 hours. There were many passionate speakers, 99+% who are against storing any waste in Olowalu. Downdraft Gasification, Pyrolysis and Bio-Remediation were all advocated and are all well-documented non-toxic solutions for the toxic waste from the Lahaina fires. I am in favor of using these three processes for the nullification of Lahaina fire waste.
Storing toxic waste in Olowalu, when much healthier options are available, is moral and political suicide. Not to mention the poisonous affect to the people, aina and ocean.
Mahalo for doing what is best for the land, sea and people!
We are holders, the keepers, and have Giuliana for our community now and generations to come. While there is urgency to act now, I highly caution movement forward on the temporary disposal site as a long-term solution. We must endeavor to do right by those preceded us, those were here now, and those yet to come.
I ask that we take more time to move in this in a way that is Pono as it is progressive, in a way that allows us to do right by those directly impacted by the fires and those who live in the aftermath of our decisions. I oppose direct action and utilizing olowalu As a dumpsite and ask that we look at all options available from the perspective of doing what’s most right now, and for generations to come.
I was going to speak live but wanted to leave the time available for those from Lahaina to be heard. I am writing as a private citizen today.
The conversation around where we are going to dump all the toxic debris should instead be “how can we ensure any the material that we do have to store away is as LEAST TOXIC AS POSSIBLE.”. We would be so much better off if our energy and focus should be on designing the best possible site for the most effective remediation efforts so that we can neutralize toxins.
I believe that we need to have better open design implementations so that we are given the best chance of remediating the toxic debris to ensure we aren’t storing away toxic material for our future generations to deal with.
It would typically not be a best practice to mix highly toxic materials that’s 1/16th of the material and decide to mix it into everything making up to 400K+ tons of material… making a football field of materials become toxic.
I am a former Lahaina resident and I worked at the schools in Lahaina between 2008-2015 installing and running the school garden programs at Kam 3 and Lahainaluna and I feel deeply protective of the keiki who I watched grow and learn and who I had the honor of connecting to the land.
I got sick in 2015 with a rare disease that nearly took my life and left me paralyzed for 2 years and I had to leave the islands for lifesaving treatment. I mention this only because I want to remind us all that Maui is not equipped to deal with rare diseases and a public health emergency on top of this disaster.
As life would have it- I had to move to the West Coast and fires were constantly on my back door. I ended up thrust into doing fire relief over the past 6 years. I feel as though those years prepared me for how to support my community in their recovery and I have been working to support the Lahaina and Kula community since the fires working as a community advocate and helping people to navigate each step in their recovery.
I approach disaster relief and recovery through the lens of regenerative system design. In Permaculture they say within the problem is the solution. The problem we are really exposing here is that the way that we deal with toxic debris post-fire is flawed and limited… archaic at best.
The Reason FEMA debris clean up follows this protocol (phase 2 clean up) of just scraping and mixing all the toxic ash and soil together is because it typically all gets taken away to a hazardous waste facility that can properly manage these types of toxins effectively. There are very few in the whole US and none on the islands. But to be honest this method is not a solution either as it will only be shipped it off to other indigenous communities land to manage it. And as we all know well… “There is no away”.
As a landscape architect, permaculturist and someone who has hands-on experience doing toxic debris mitigation… I’d recommend a new design consideration and making 4 distinctions for the material:
1.) First go back and do a better job to get all human remains. There’s not that many sites where human remains were essentially cremated. Those ashes should be honored. That’s a very small section. The families of the loved ones can decide what type of memorial/monument they want.
2.) The highly toxic ash (which EPA has maps to) should get scooped up and taken off island with the batteries and everything else they are Already shipping to a superfund 3 hazardous waste facility. There is additional space in the EPA dumpsters and they might as well get fully optimized since we are already paying for those to go off island through FEMA debris clean up funds.
The highly toxic ash is a small amount and with smart design wouldn’t need to cost millions of extra dollars when they have the containers filled with batteries just collecting rainwater now. We don’t need to take the entire 400k tons of materials off island. Focus on the “red zone”and “orange zone” areas where transformers, chemical storage, batteries, dioxins, asbestos (pre 1950s homes) and powerwalls were lead-acid and household batteries; compressed gas cylinders; bulk pesticides, fertilizers, and pool chemicals; paints, thinners, and aerosol cans; asbestos siding, pipe insulation, and tiles) (CRTs) from televisions, computers, and other electronic devices. (Council if you could find out how much material the EPA estimates this is, and if they are able to fill the empty space in their containers that are still onsite slated to go off island to a proper hazardous waste facility).
3.) Then the recommendation would be to remediate the less toxic ash layer in one area (which will be far less material). Whether you choose to go with pyrolysis, gasification, green energy biogenerators, or various forms of bioremediation and mycoremediation there are so many opportunities that would be worth creating pilots for. We have so many scientists, mycologists, Hawaiian Natural Farmers, permaculturists and bioremediation leaders on the island who could study this and this information could pave the way for future fires around the world. Because so often the toxic waste is just taken away to a facility far away (often on other indigenous land) and so there’s a lot lacking in our longitudinal studies that would inform future fires and the way we heal and restore land lost to fire.
4.) Then we have the 6 inches deep of a soil layer that would then get mixed with locally sourced compost, Woodchips, locally sourced biomass materials and inoculated biochar and it would get dropped in depressed windrows (like how they do composting large scale only in the depressed lined area that they already created). Then water in with compost tea on timers and introduce indigenous microorganisms collected from above the burnscar. The native microorganisms are an unseen brilliance so deeply overlooked. They know how to repair, and to heal the land… that’s what they are here to do. Once/week we would water in with a water truck filled with active compost tea, in month 2-4 you can add in worms (for chelating heavy metals) with an over layer of active compost. Next phase is mycoremediation using native fungi (during rainy months only as we have lost our mycelium due to dry out in other fire impacted zones). Then finally Phytoremediation using plants that chelate toxins. There are brilliant minds (scientists, farmers, lineal descendants) on the island that are dedicating their time/ resources to try and come up with the best solutions for this complex issue. I really hope that the County will be open to new design considerations. There should be a design charrettes and open it up to invite those who are working on solutions and spend multiple days on bringing the best ideas and best practices to the board.
Why store away toxins and leave it for our future generations to deal with one day rather than to neutralize the toxins before storing any of it away? There won’t be such a fight about where to store the material if it’s mostly inert.
We have the opportunity to show the world a different way and to possibly inform the way it is done for future wildfire impacted communities across the globe. I don't envy the decision you have to make but I do know that we have to get this is a decision worth taking the time to get right. To be a decision you feel proud of and one you can stand behind. Mahalo for your patience and listening to the voices of the people.
Olowalu surf spot as young boy ,my parents used to drop my brothers and myself there during summer break. Even back then early 70s both parents had to work. Olowalu was my baby sitter. Olowalu has special place in my soul. My kids got to experience Olowalu. Now my grandkids should be able enjoy that. Also future generations of families.
8K plus* signed a petition againts this proposed site. That in itself is enough; to hear from that many community members, humans. We don't even leave our household trash at Olowalu.
We aren't blind to the declining environmental issues but if some branches of gov't as well as individuals would have the world, (who is watching), believe that our wildfires (and note, wildfires are not a weather condition) was caused or at least fueled by factors of that decline. Attention was drawn to that to bring awareness to the environment in its condition & to bring about concern for it. So then how is putting 400K tons of toxic ash and debris this close to the ocean an environmentally sound plan??
Smart people who care. Scientists whose life's education & work know
Brilliant cultural minds know
Common sense knows
Intuition and gut feelings know that this hole made of layers of sand and mesh, no matter how it is engineered, is NOT environmentally sound & is not the place for toxic ash and debris to make its final rest.
Encase the ash in cement blocks & erect a monument or mosoleum to honor our people & our planet. Movement of the Hawaiian Islands alone can destroy the liners if even a little . At least encapsulate these burritos in cement above ground so that any degradation can be monitored above ground.
Thank you for your time.
My name is Mohala Honua Makuahine. Maui resident for 24 years and mother of 4 keiki o ka aina . I oppose the Olowalu site for any waste of any kind, most specifically any waste from the Lahaina fire!
I am not a specialist, just a concerned citizen with some common sense…. I understand the need for things to move forward for the people of Lahaina, but honestly speaking, Lahaina won’t be habitable for a while to come, so hurrying with getting the toxic waste out of there doesn’t seem to be sensible at all.
We all know Maui has already lost way too much… please re-think and consider leaving the toxic waste in the already toxic areas… possibly stored in appropriate containers that can be shipped off island by FEMA to those sites on the mainland that are ready for toxic waste like this… please do not go ahead and poison more of Maui then already IS! Please don’t make things worse, let’s try to make them them better…. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Kristin, Sky and Griffin Solbach from the front lawn..
I am against placing the toxic Lahaina fire debris in Oluwalu. There are too many environmental concerns at this time to proceed with this plan for a temporary site. Let's please take the time to look at and consider other safer long-term solutions because we can only do this once. Oluwalu is a sacred sanctuary for Maui's endangered humpback whale and manta rays as well as a final resting place for our Hawaiian ancestors.
Toxic waste will eventually leach into the ocean. Can we please stop to consider the safer technologies for neutralizing waste before we move forward and are unable to move ahead with something safer for the next generations. Lastly, was an archeological study performed before they desecrated Oluwalu?
Please let's open our hearts and minds to work together as one aina and walk together towards what is best for our generations to come.
Please take the following plan into consideration before doing anything with the debri. This information is provided by residenMaui Rebekah Uccelini and I want to make sure this information gets presented because Rebekah wasn't sure she could make it to the meeting today. She mentioned she provided this proposal to Mayor Bissen already however, unfortunately the mayor dismissed this plan and told Ms. Uccelini that the debris removal plan is already taken care of. This plan below is so well thought of and logical it must be taken into consideration prior to disposing of the debris anywhere, the following is the information from Rebeka Uccelini:
The conversation around where we are going to dump all the toxic debris should instead be “how can we ensure any the material that we do have to store away is as LEAST TOXIC AS POSSIBLE.”. Our energy and focus should be on designing the best possible short term site for the most effective remediation efforts so that we can neutralize toxins. We need to have better open design implementations so that we are given the best chance of remediating the toxic debris to ensure we aren’t storing away toxic material for our future generations to deal with. The Reason FEMA debris clean up follows this protocol (phase 2 clean up) of just scraping and mixing all the toxic ash and soil together is because it typically all gets taken away to a hazardous waste facility that can properly manage these types of toxins effectively. There are very few in the whole US and none on the islands. It would typically not be a best practice to mix highly toxic materials that’s 1/20 of the material and decide to mix it into everything making up to 700,000 tons of material… making a football field of materials become toxic. As a landscape architect, permaculturist and someone who has worked the last 6 years in fire relief including toxic debris mitigation, I’d recommend making 4 distinctions for the material:
1.)First go back and do a better job to get all human remains. There’s not that many sites where human remains were essentially cremated. Those ashes should be honored. That’s a very small section. The families of the loved ones can decide what type of memorial/monument they want.
2.) The highly toxic ash (which EPA has maps to) should get scooped up and taken off island with the batteries and everything else they are Already shipping to a superfund 3 hazardous waste facility. There is additional space in the EPA dumpsters and they might as well get fully optimized since we are already paying for those to go off island through FEMA debris clean up funds. The highly toxic ash is a small amount and with smart design wouldn’t need to cost millions of extra dollars when they have the containers filled with batteries just collecting rainwater now. We don’t need to take the entire 400-700 tons of materials off island. Just Focus on the “red zone”and “orange zone” areas where transformers, chemical storage, batteries, dioxins, asbestos (pre 1950s homes) and powerwalls were.
3.) Then we remediate the less toxic ash layer in one area (which will be far less material) We have so many scientists, mycologists, Hawaiian Natural Farmers, permaculturists and bioremediation leaders on island who could study this and this information could pave the way for future fires around the world. Most times the debris is taken to a Toxic waste facility far away (often on other indigenous land) and so there’s a lot lacking in our longitudinal studies that would inform future fires and the way we heal and restore land lost fire. This will also create jobs.
4.) Then we have the 6 inches deep of a soil layer that would then get mixed with locally sourced compost, Woodchips, locally sourced biomass materials and inoculated biochar and it would get dropped in depressed windrows (like how they do composting large scale only in the depressed lined area that they already created). Then water in with compost tea on timers and introduce indigenous microorganisms collected from above the burnscar. The native microorganisms are an unseen brilliance so deeply overlooked. They know how to repair, and to heal the land… that’s what they are here to do. Once/week we would water in with a water truck filled with active compost tea, in month 2-4 you can add in worms (for chelating heavy metals) with an over layer of active compost. Next phase is mycoremediation using native fungi (during rainy months only as we have lost our mycelium due to dry out in other fire impacted zones).
Then finally Phytoremediation using plants that chelate toxins. We have the people on island who can do this, many of us have been working for free dedicating hundreds of hours to trying to make headway… even groups willing to fundraise all on their own to make it happen. We have been standing by wanting to ensure bioremediation efforts happen to the fullest ability because it would be foolish not to use a technology that works. Why store away toxins and leave it for our future generations to deal with one day rather than to neutralize the toxins before storing any of it away? There won’t be such a fight about where to store the material if it’s mostly inert.
My Royal Hawaiian Family Vehemently Oppose The Desecration of More Royal Hawaiian Family Lands, protected Under HRS 172-11, HRS 1-1, HRS 5-7.5, The Great Mahele of 1848, All U.S. & H.I. Constitutions, Ex. U.S. Constitution Article 6, Clause 2 The Supreme Law of The Land = Treaties; which can be found in the Hawaii State Archives (across the Crapital on Iolani Palace Royal Grounds) and online via www.hawaiiankingdom.org and by speaking to Dr. Keanu Sai, the real cousin to Keanu Reeves (John Wick & The Matrix Neo Characters) We highly suggest you ship all of this toxic waste to "THE VATICAN" home of the pedophiles/annunaki/draconian/luciferian/nordic/alien/ET/weirdos & Invoice Them; they are the worlds smallest country with the most money and they haven't paid taxes to the Hawaiian Kingdom Since King David Kalakaua times.
Here are the historical and data facts to blow your minds; so you can't pretend stupid.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zpSCx0e4-PfYsJnc6uRcOjwCLtC5bXOrxCPe8yT2cUc/edit?fbclid=IwAR0aKutJjQZLEhPn4H2gvzXc63Mtq0EIlaROP3IBo7SFv6qvwYXamwy5js8
Here is the Petition To Stop The Toxic Dump Waste at Olowalu
https://shorturl.at/ruNO5
If you want to know more, speak to Mr. Eddy Garcia, CEO 501c3 Non-Profit Regenerative Education Centers, www.recenters.org and he can answer most of your expert questions; because he actually lives right next door to the toxic waste disposal site!
Think about this! you're going to kill people, the ocean, the water, streams, mountain and make a huge disaster for others to suffer and deal with! Think about the Ramifications and then think of a better solution than using Olowalu as Toxic Waste Dump Site!
Testimony on AUGUST 2023 MAUI WILDFIRES TEMPORARY DEBRIS DISPOSAL SITE AND FINAL DEBRIS DISPOSAL SITE (DRIP-2(13))
From: Tamara Li Farnsworth
Aloha mai kākou Chair Paltin and members of the committee, Mayor, and representatives of the various agencies. My name is Tamara Farnsworth and I am testifying on my own behalf and not as a representative of any organization or my employer. I worked for the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) for ten years, five of those as the manager of Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division. I am working with a conservation organization now, focused in Olowalu and Ukumehame ahupua`a. I am not a landfill expert, but I worked for years alongside the Solid Waste Division in the development of composting sites within Central Maui Landfill and am familiar with landfill engineering. I was also the Chair of the County’s 2022-2023 Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan update and I also received many years of training on disaster debris management for the county. With this experience, I do understand the immense challenges before everyone in this chamber and that you are all doing your best to come to the right decisions right now.
Ultimately, I am very concerned about expedient removal of ash and debris from Lahaina and I am equally concerned about disposal of ash and debris at Olowalu because both pose great risk of harm to the environment and our people. I am hoping that the communities of Lahaina and Olowalu can come together and find a common ground so that we can all move forward together to address the known and potential risks at hand. There are many items I have mana`o on, but today I will share two proposals that I am not sure have been brought up today. These are about an alternative site at the Central Maui Landfill for final disposition and bioremediation with biochar to mitigate toxicity of Lahaina’s ash and soils.
I am aware of a parcel that I believe was previously permitted to be a landfill, meaning it has already gone through the EA or EIS process, that is adjacent to the current landfill in Central Maui. This parcel is currently owned by a private entity. I would like to request that the County explore taking possession of this parcel as quickly as possible to pursue using this parcel as a final disposition site for Lahaina’s ash and debris rather than in Olowalu.
I would implore the land owner and partners to consider selling this land at market value or an amount acceptable to all parties or to delay a land swap until a suitable trade can be located and acquired. I am asking this to the land owner and their partners to consider this as a gift and as is your kuleana to the Maui and Lahaina community. Please, sell that land to the county right away.
If this is not possible, I would ask that that the Department of Environmental Management, Mayor and the county council move toward eminent domain for this parcel. This is something I think should have happened a long time ago; I now view it as imperative. This area has no residents close by and the owner would receive a fair payment for the land. If you cannot find a quick agreement with the land owner, I am asking you to be bold in this matter. I believe the community will back you on this, especially if it offers a feasible alternative to the proposed site in Olowalu.
I would also like to propose that the USACE and the county consider gasification technology for long term and to invite an expert such as Dr. Ratner (who testifier Tim Gunther mentioned) to present along with Brittany from Yummet. While I have many questions about pyrolysis or gasification of already combusted materials, I think all options should be explored.
Additionally, I would like for the county to pursue bioremediation of the ash both prior to debris removal as well as treating in within the TDSR and the final disposition site. Specifically, within the proposed disposal sites, I propose applying a layer of appropriately “charged” hardwood biochar on top of the landfill liner prior to depositing any materials into a landfill site. Properly prepared biochar can be effective at not only absorbing leachates and mitigating liquid runoff, but it is also effective at removing and binding certain heavy metals. Once heavy metals have been extracted and “bound” within that biochar, they are rendered inert and no longer “bioavailable” in the environment. I ask that USACE, FEMA, and County consider the use of biochar as an additional protective measure for all of the proposed landfill cells as well as associated leachate retention basins. This is a technical matter that needs expert advisement. While I am not advocating for their company per se, Uki`u Farms in Kula has expertise on this and could consult with the county on best practices. They have recently worked with a company on lining a construction site retention basin and shared this idea with me
Mahalo nui for all of your diligent work and for the opportunity to testify on this matter.
I want to express my strong opposition to the Olowalu site being considered either as a temporary or long-term solution for our current situation. Instead, I wholeheartedly support the idea of utilizing the Central Maui Landfill as the temporary site. I believe we must explore alternative options to address this issue.
While I initially found the concept of using containers appealing, I now realize that it only postpones the inevitable removal of debris and adds unnecessary costs. Additionally, it doesnʻt pencil out. The Central Maui Landfill, on the other hand, is a suitable location for a temporary site. It not only offers potential expansion possibilities but is also equipped to handle hazardous materials properly.
I believe it is essential to provide the community with more information and involve them in the decision-making process for both short-term and long-term solutions to this significant problem. The materials in question are toxic and hazardous, and continuing to store them in an area ill-suited for such purposes will only lead to further contamination and harm to the community, natural resources and cultural sites.
The Central Maui Landfill is a mere 19 miles away from Olowalu, making it a convenient and viable temporary site. I strongly advocate for utilizing this landfill as a more suitable option.
The kaiāulu has made it crystal clear how overwhelmingly against they are of having Olowalu as the temporary (and likely future permanent site) for debris, yet this Council voted 7-2 in favor of proceeding anyway. Multiple meetings later, including this special committee meeting has resulted in hundreds of written + oral testimony continuing to oppose. There has been countless alternative solutions presented and should be explored. Your elected seats are intended to speak and vote on behalf of the people. Let's start demonstrating that.
From the perspective of sound decision-making in disaster mitigation, decision-makers must take into account the risks inherent in the natural landscape and how they intersect with populations and the surrounding ecosystem. In arguments made by the County and FEMA in favor of this landfill site, we heard reassurances about the landfill being constructed with greater strength and reinforcement than the Central Maui Landfill.
However, there are key geographic and topographic differences between the Central Maui Landfill and the proposed Olowalu site that have gone unrecognized in their analysis. The Central Maui landfill also did not contain substantial historical treasures and archeological features as does the current site at Olowalu.
The toxic landfill at Olowalu lies at the basin of a natural watershed prone to flash flooding during heavy rainfall events. Only one significant rainfall and the water will rush through this site and into the ocean located only 600 yards away. There is no engineering or construction within the site capable of retaining the volume of water that flows through the valley during heavy rainstorms. It will be diverted and washed into the ocean and leach into the ground.
The second natural feature, but one of the most important features overlooked by the County of Maui and FEMA in their "risk analysis" is one of the world's most revered and biologically important coral reef ecosystems within the Hawaiian Islands.
Olowalu Reef is a declared Mission Blue Hope Spot (a place critical to the health of our oceans), and has been described as Maui's “Mother Reef” because it is a primary source of coral larvae for the reefs of Lana’i, Moloka’i, and West Maui.
It is a revered sanctuary for Maui’s humpback whales and whale-birthing calves and harbors the largest manta ray population in the United States. Its rich diversity of rare and unique coral species, whales, and marine life draws millions of visitors and revenue to Maui each year. Any amount of risk to this environment poses an enormous economic risk to the whole of Maui and Hawaii.
The third feature overlooked in the County and FEMA's "risk analysis" are sacred Hawaiian cultural sites that have been ignored. As the County gives lip service to being culturally sensitive in the handling of the waste in Lahaina, it stands to desecrate significant archeological sites of importance to Hawaiians.
Olowalu Valley holds immense history as well as an enduring population of lineal descendants who stand to lose the most treasured thing within their culture—the land. These people of the Olowalu Valley are the same ones who taught us to aloha ʻāina, and they now face toxic waste poisoning from prevailing winds frequent in the valley that will lift toxic soil and ash and deposit it into their kalo farms, and the ocean—poisoning both food supplies.
FEMA reassured participants in today's meeting that the toxicity of this waste only has a 90-day shelf life. The scientific community knows better.
The wealth of research contained in the attached fact sheet from the National Institute of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the World Health Organization, and countless others verify the lethality and longevity of the types of compounds and toxins in wildfire debris such as dioxin. These are heavily prevalent in urban wildfire settings and are "forever toxins." Dioxin in particular has no safe limits for exposure according to the scientific literature.
Attached with this testimony is The Wildfire Guide to Recovery highlighting the very serious concern dioxin poses to our population and marine ecosystem. It is used by fire departments and remediation teams throughout the United States including CalFire, the California Fire Chief's Association, the California Emergency Management Agency, and hundreds of wildfire control and debris remediation organizations across the United States.
Finally, in spite of the design plans presented by the County of the Olowalu Toxic Waste Landfill, chemical and biological engineers who have expertise in the construction of similar types of sites, agree that the porous cinder rock and loose sediment foundation of the dump and its liner, slated to hold 400,000 tons of debris, is NOT architecturally sound or stable.
The positioning of the dump in a watershed atop loose sediment makes it subject to rapid erosion, especially during rainfall events. As erosion occurs, the liner will shift and tear along stress points, and leachate of toxins will occur. According to the EPA, even under low-stress conditions devoid of these concerns, all landfills eventually fail due to leaching into the surrounding environment. This is cited in the fact sheet data and research document attached.
Forever poisons like dioxin will leach. It is proven through the EPA's findings and in similar sites constructed adjacent to coral reef systems—some of which are now classified as the most toxic reefs in the world (See attached research on Bermuda's toxic landfill by the see and effects of dioxin on marine life).
Even small amounts of dioxin particulate matter can cause serious harm to the health of the people of Maui and our marine life including cancer, sterility, birth defects, neurological disorders, and more. Dioxin also bioaccumulates in the food chain, making it impossible to remove or effectively remediate. Once the damage is done, there is no going back, hence its classification as a "forever" poison. The cost is truly incalculable and will present itself well into the future and create irreparable injury to the people, ecosystem, and economy of Maui.
The County would be hard-pressed to find a single expert versed in multivariate risk analysis to agree that the current site is acceptable given its proximity to a natural watershed atop loose sediment, with a popular recreational and surf area for children and thousands of visitors beneath it; as well as the most vital coral reef ecosystem spawning life for nearby islands and a marine sanctuary for hundreds of birthing humpback whales and their babies.
These concerns were echoed in today's meeting by experts who possess far greater knowledge of the scientific risks and technological advancements that provide alternatives to this plan. Hundreds (possibly nearing a thousand) of people spoke out in extreme opposition to the temporary and permanent toxic waste landfill sites selected to house 400,000 tons of the most lethal chemical compounds and carcinogens known to mankind.
This will become Maui's "Red Hill" disaster, but sadly, there will be no amount of money capable of remediating its effects long-term.
ALTERNATIVES FOR CONSIDERATION
Among the experts who testified in opposition were university specialists in bioremediation, the world's most respected and celebrated marine biologist Sylvia Earle, chemical and biological engineers with expertise in the construction of toxic waste landfills and disposal of toxic debris, and engineers with operational experience in the application of advanced technologies such as gasification, pyrolysis, and biochar—all proven technologies for remediating extremely toxic carcinogen-laden waste as an alternative to the proposed plans.
We also heard sound arguments for selecting a temporary toxic waste storage site within the Lahaina burn zone, to eliminate the spread of toxic contaminants to other uncontaminated precious ocean ecosystems and the Hawaiian villages within the Olowalu Valley. Sites suggested include the already toxic site near the smoke stack in Lahaina or other nearby properties.
The County can use its legal instrument of eminent domain to acquire an appropriate site within Lahaina temporarily that is situated away from population centers to quickly contain and store waste in containers at that controlled facility for their final destination. Preferably, would find a property owner and make a deal to lease the site temporarily for a fee and agree to fully remediate it once operations are complete. This approach holds the added benefit of being fast and efficient to clear debris when located nearby.
Following that, the permanent management of waste could be done with a processing plant on Maui to neutralize toxins, decompose waste, and use the byproducts as fuel. There are many technologies provided in expert testimonies worthy of consideration.
CONCLUSION
A good government is designed to protect all of the people and our natural resources and to listen to the public wishes and inputs of those they represent. We the People will not accept a toxic waste landfill with 400,000 tons of the most toxic debris on top of corals, whales, and sacred Hawaiian lands.
Maui County established an ordinance to minimize runoff of pollutants into nearshore waters and air, aquatic, and marine environments as part of its commitments to the United Nations Sustainability Goals to mitigate climate change and work toward resilience.
Even in the face of a disaster, it must adopt a collaborative, evidence-based approach to decision-making when attempting to solve the most complex problems we face today by consulting with outside experts.
We are stronger when we work together and can build a brighter, more sustainable future for Maui and provide a more positive example to the world than a toxic waste landfill on top of a marine sanctuary and Hawaiian sacred land.
Thank you for taking the time to hear the community on this super important issue. I am strongly & completely opposed to the use of the site at Olowalu for any storage of the toxic wastes from Lahaina. We already have a huge environmental disaster from the fire itself and we certainly don't need to be creating another one for our future generations. There is absolutely NO way that if we put this waste in this location that it will not end up in our ocean polluting our super important mother reef that exists at Olowalu. That reef is very, very important to our ocean ecosystems and is an invaluable resource and it's already severly stressed and damaged by human activity but there are currently signs of rejuvenation. I think we need to think about this logically - no one wants toxic waste in their backyard and if we're being honest there is NO good place for waste like that to remain safe on an island such as ours with the extreme weathers that we have but Olowalu might just be the worst place possible of all the many options. That cinder is not the right type of soil for containment. Period.
I think there has to be further consideration of Kahoolawe which is already terribly polluted from the over 50 years of bombing that occurred there at the hands of our government. It doesn't have an aquifer that's supporting a population and I'd guess there are more solid types of geological soil there than the cinders of Olowalu.
Placing the waste into containers sounds like a fantastic temporary solution - yes it would be many... by my brief calculations we can fit 217 10x20 containers on an acre of land and it would take about 60 acres to hold all of this waste in a single height layer but only 30 acres if two story's and even less if three...There are thousands of acres of bare land in the isthmus that could hold this temporarily.
The other super important thing I want to say is that if the government is interested in taking swift careless actions please make those decisions in the interest of the people effected by this disaster. Take away the short term rentals and give our residents housing security for the next 5 years so that they can actually participate in the rebuild of their world and focus on something other than how they're going to survive. Give them the secure sense of home they need to process thier grief and heal. It's been 5 months and our people have no reliable solutions for permanent housing because you're afraid of what? bad press? lawsuits? The inaction of our government to support our residents that have become victims due to the failure of government oversight/action in the first place is beyond disgraceful. The effects of this reckless decision of putting toxic waste in a sensitive place that has none is far greater than anything that could happen by giving our families semipermanent housing and dignity. The truth is it's going to be 3-5 years before anyone is living in the burn zone again and anyone with any intelligence can see that - they need solutions NOW! Please, think of our next generations - think long term, this is not a good idea at all. Mahalo for considering our voices - this is our home.
Aloha, I am a resident of Makawao and still listening to the committee meeting with final public comments. I implore you to reverse the decision to store toxic waste at Olowalu, temporary or permanent. Many local and national community members testified today, voicing legitimate concerns, asking pertinent questions, offering expertise and proposing possible alternative solutions. As an organizational and community development consultant, I specialize in facilitating collaborative processes that bring people with diverse perspectives together to create shared visions and plans to address complex community change initiatives. To move forward with this plan will not only irrevocably risk the health of the land and water, it will also create irreparable harm to any remaining trust that exists between the local government and its citizens. There are many considerations but moving swiftly at the expense of Maui’s reef and fresh water, potentially contaminating it for generations, is not acceptable. FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers are not the only experts and we are all dealing with a situation that has never been seen before. The challenges of recovery are somewhat different here in Maui than in California or other places on the continent. Please respond to the questions that so many community members have asked and consider alternative solutions. Mahalo. Deb Marois
As someone who has been a part of the Kula communityʻs Phase 2 Debris Removal process, I am wanting to make a comment about the suggestion that debris and ash be held in place (in the Lāhainā burn zone). The Phase 2 process concludes with scraping of contaminated soils in places where buildings and vehicles burned, with the hope that rebuilding can take place. Unfortunately, keeping the removed debris in place will prevent Phase 2 from concluding with the soil scraping process, which is the only hope landowners have of possibly rebuilding and moving forward with their lives. Unfortunately, the temporary debris site needs to be outside of the burn zone for this reason.
I was in the meeting this morning for 3 hours. There were many passionate speakers, 99+% who are against storing any waste in Olowalu. Downdraft Gasification, Pyrolysis and Bio-Remediation were all advocated and are all well-documented non-toxic solutions for the toxic waste from the Lahaina fires. I am in favor of using these three processes for the nullification of Lahaina fire waste.
Storing toxic waste in Olowalu, when much healthier options are available, is moral and political suicide. Not to mention the poisonous affect to the people, aina and ocean.
Mahalo for doing what is best for the land, sea and people!
We are holders, the keepers, and have Giuliana for our community now and generations to come. While there is urgency to act now, I highly caution movement forward on the temporary disposal site as a long-term solution. We must endeavor to do right by those preceded us, those were here now, and those yet to come.
I ask that we take more time to move in this in a way that is Pono as it is progressive, in a way that allows us to do right by those directly impacted by the fires and those who live in the aftermath of our decisions. I oppose direct action and utilizing olowalu As a dumpsite and ask that we look at all options available from the perspective of doing what’s most right now, and for generations to come.
I was going to speak live but wanted to leave the time available for those from Lahaina to be heard. I am writing as a private citizen today.
The conversation around where we are going to dump all the toxic debris should instead be “how can we ensure any the material that we do have to store away is as LEAST TOXIC AS POSSIBLE.”. We would be so much better off if our energy and focus should be on designing the best possible site for the most effective remediation efforts so that we can neutralize toxins.
I believe that we need to have better open design implementations so that we are given the best chance of remediating the toxic debris to ensure we aren’t storing away toxic material for our future generations to deal with.
It would typically not be a best practice to mix highly toxic materials that’s 1/16th of the material and decide to mix it into everything making up to 400K+ tons of material… making a football field of materials become toxic.
I am a former Lahaina resident and I worked at the schools in Lahaina between 2008-2015 installing and running the school garden programs at Kam 3 and Lahainaluna and I feel deeply protective of the keiki who I watched grow and learn and who I had the honor of connecting to the land.
I got sick in 2015 with a rare disease that nearly took my life and left me paralyzed for 2 years and I had to leave the islands for lifesaving treatment. I mention this only because I want to remind us all that Maui is not equipped to deal with rare diseases and a public health emergency on top of this disaster.
As life would have it- I had to move to the West Coast and fires were constantly on my back door. I ended up thrust into doing fire relief over the past 6 years. I feel as though those years prepared me for how to support my community in their recovery and I have been working to support the Lahaina and Kula community since the fires working as a community advocate and helping people to navigate each step in their recovery.
I approach disaster relief and recovery through the lens of regenerative system design. In Permaculture they say within the problem is the solution. The problem we are really exposing here is that the way that we deal with toxic debris post-fire is flawed and limited… archaic at best.
The Reason FEMA debris clean up follows this protocol (phase 2 clean up) of just scraping and mixing all the toxic ash and soil together is because it typically all gets taken away to a hazardous waste facility that can properly manage these types of toxins effectively. There are very few in the whole US and none on the islands. But to be honest this method is not a solution either as it will only be shipped it off to other indigenous communities land to manage it. And as we all know well… “There is no away”.
As a landscape architect, permaculturist and someone who has hands-on experience doing toxic debris mitigation… I’d recommend a new design consideration and making 4 distinctions for the material:
1.) First go back and do a better job to get all human remains. There’s not that many sites where human remains were essentially cremated. Those ashes should be honored. That’s a very small section. The families of the loved ones can decide what type of memorial/monument they want.
2.) The highly toxic ash (which EPA has maps to) should get scooped up and taken off island with the batteries and everything else they are Already shipping to a superfund 3 hazardous waste facility. There is additional space in the EPA dumpsters and they might as well get fully optimized since we are already paying for those to go off island through FEMA debris clean up funds.
The highly toxic ash is a small amount and with smart design wouldn’t need to cost millions of extra dollars when they have the containers filled with batteries just collecting rainwater now. We don’t need to take the entire 400k tons of materials off island. Focus on the “red zone”and “orange zone” areas where transformers, chemical storage, batteries, dioxins, asbestos (pre 1950s homes) and powerwalls were lead-acid and household batteries; compressed gas cylinders; bulk pesticides, fertilizers, and pool chemicals; paints, thinners, and aerosol cans; asbestos siding, pipe insulation, and tiles) (CRTs) from televisions, computers, and other electronic devices. (Council if you could find out how much material the EPA estimates this is, and if they are able to fill the empty space in their containers that are still onsite slated to go off island to a proper hazardous waste facility).
3.) Then the recommendation would be to remediate the less toxic ash layer in one area (which will be far less material). Whether you choose to go with pyrolysis, gasification, green energy biogenerators, or various forms of bioremediation and mycoremediation there are so many opportunities that would be worth creating pilots for. We have so many scientists, mycologists, Hawaiian Natural Farmers, permaculturists and bioremediation leaders on the island who could study this and this information could pave the way for future fires around the world. Because so often the toxic waste is just taken away to a facility far away (often on other indigenous land) and so there’s a lot lacking in our longitudinal studies that would inform future fires and the way we heal and restore land lost to fire.
4.) Then we have the 6 inches deep of a soil layer that would then get mixed with locally sourced compost, Woodchips, locally sourced biomass materials and inoculated biochar and it would get dropped in depressed windrows (like how they do composting large scale only in the depressed lined area that they already created). Then water in with compost tea on timers and introduce indigenous microorganisms collected from above the burnscar. The native microorganisms are an unseen brilliance so deeply overlooked. They know how to repair, and to heal the land… that’s what they are here to do. Once/week we would water in with a water truck filled with active compost tea, in month 2-4 you can add in worms (for chelating heavy metals) with an over layer of active compost. Next phase is mycoremediation using native fungi (during rainy months only as we have lost our mycelium due to dry out in other fire impacted zones). Then finally Phytoremediation using plants that chelate toxins. There are brilliant minds (scientists, farmers, lineal descendants) on the island that are dedicating their time/ resources to try and come up with the best solutions for this complex issue. I really hope that the County will be open to new design considerations. There should be a design charrettes and open it up to invite those who are working on solutions and spend multiple days on bringing the best ideas and best practices to the board.
Why store away toxins and leave it for our future generations to deal with one day rather than to neutralize the toxins before storing any of it away? There won’t be such a fight about where to store the material if it’s mostly inert.
We have the opportunity to show the world a different way and to possibly inform the way it is done for future wildfire impacted communities across the globe. I don't envy the decision you have to make but I do know that we have to get this is a decision worth taking the time to get right. To be a decision you feel proud of and one you can stand behind. Mahalo for your patience and listening to the voices of the people.
Olowalu surf spot as young boy ,my parents used to drop my brothers and myself there during summer break. Even back then early 70s both parents had to work. Olowalu was my baby sitter. Olowalu has special place in my soul. My kids got to experience Olowalu. Now my grandkids should be able enjoy that. Also future generations of families.
I strongly oppose dumping toxic waste at Olowalu. You need to find a safer long term solution.
You need to remember that you work for "We the People".
Sincerely, Kathleen Pannett
I strongly oppose dumping toxic waste at Olowalu. Find a better way, a safer long term solution.
8K plus* signed a petition againts this proposed site. That in itself is enough; to hear from that many community members, humans. We don't even leave our household trash at Olowalu.
We aren't blind to the declining environmental issues but if some branches of gov't as well as individuals would have the world, (who is watching), believe that our wildfires (and note, wildfires are not a weather condition) was caused or at least fueled by factors of that decline. Attention was drawn to that to bring awareness to the environment in its condition & to bring about concern for it. So then how is putting 400K tons of toxic ash and debris this close to the ocean an environmentally sound plan??
Smart people who care. Scientists whose life's education & work know
Brilliant cultural minds know
Common sense knows
Intuition and gut feelings know that this hole made of layers of sand and mesh, no matter how it is engineered, is NOT environmentally sound & is not the place for toxic ash and debris to make its final rest.
Encase the ash in cement blocks & erect a monument or mosoleum to honor our people & our planet. Movement of the Hawaiian Islands alone can destroy the liners if even a little . At least encapsulate these burritos in cement above ground so that any degradation can be monitored above ground.
Thank you for your time.
My name is Mohala Honua Makuahine. Maui resident for 24 years and mother of 4 keiki o ka aina . I oppose the Olowalu site for any waste of any kind, most specifically any waste from the Lahaina fire!
Aloha to all,
I am not a specialist, just a concerned citizen with some common sense…. I understand the need for things to move forward for the people of Lahaina, but honestly speaking, Lahaina won’t be habitable for a while to come, so hurrying with getting the toxic waste out of there doesn’t seem to be sensible at all.
We all know Maui has already lost way too much… please re-think and consider leaving the toxic waste in the already toxic areas… possibly stored in appropriate containers that can be shipped off island by FEMA to those sites on the mainland that are ready for toxic waste like this… please do not go ahead and poison more of Maui then already IS! Please don’t make things worse, let’s try to make them them better…. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Kristin, Sky and Griffin Solbach from the front lawn..
I am against placing the toxic Lahaina fire debris in Oluwalu. There are too many environmental concerns at this time to proceed with this plan for a temporary site. Let's please take the time to look at and consider other safer long-term solutions because we can only do this once. Oluwalu is a sacred sanctuary for Maui's endangered humpback whale and manta rays as well as a final resting place for our Hawaiian ancestors.
Toxic waste will eventually leach into the ocean. Can we please stop to consider the safer technologies for neutralizing waste before we move forward and are unable to move ahead with something safer for the next generations. Lastly, was an archeological study performed before they desecrated Oluwalu?
Please let's open our hearts and minds to work together as one aina and walk together towards what is best for our generations to come.
Please take the following plan into consideration before doing anything with the debri. This information is provided by residenMaui Rebekah Uccelini and I want to make sure this information gets presented because Rebekah wasn't sure she could make it to the meeting today. She mentioned she provided this proposal to Mayor Bissen already however, unfortunately the mayor dismissed this plan and told Ms. Uccelini that the debris removal plan is already taken care of. This plan below is so well thought of and logical it must be taken into consideration prior to disposing of the debris anywhere, the following is the information from Rebeka Uccelini:
The conversation around where we are going to dump all the toxic debris should instead be “how can we ensure any the material that we do have to store away is as LEAST TOXIC AS POSSIBLE.”. Our energy and focus should be on designing the best possible short term site for the most effective remediation efforts so that we can neutralize toxins. We need to have better open design implementations so that we are given the best chance of remediating the toxic debris to ensure we aren’t storing away toxic material for our future generations to deal with. The Reason FEMA debris clean up follows this protocol (phase 2 clean up) of just scraping and mixing all the toxic ash and soil together is because it typically all gets taken away to a hazardous waste facility that can properly manage these types of toxins effectively. There are very few in the whole US and none on the islands. It would typically not be a best practice to mix highly toxic materials that’s 1/20 of the material and decide to mix it into everything making up to 700,000 tons of material… making a football field of materials become toxic. As a landscape architect, permaculturist and someone who has worked the last 6 years in fire relief including toxic debris mitigation, I’d recommend making 4 distinctions for the material:
1.)First go back and do a better job to get all human remains. There’s not that many sites where human remains were essentially cremated. Those ashes should be honored. That’s a very small section. The families of the loved ones can decide what type of memorial/monument they want.
2.) The highly toxic ash (which EPA has maps to) should get scooped up and taken off island with the batteries and everything else they are Already shipping to a superfund 3 hazardous waste facility. There is additional space in the EPA dumpsters and they might as well get fully optimized since we are already paying for those to go off island through FEMA debris clean up funds. The highly toxic ash is a small amount and with smart design wouldn’t need to cost millions of extra dollars when they have the containers filled with batteries just collecting rainwater now. We don’t need to take the entire 400-700 tons of materials off island. Just Focus on the “red zone”and “orange zone” areas where transformers, chemical storage, batteries, dioxins, asbestos (pre 1950s homes) and powerwalls were.
3.) Then we remediate the less toxic ash layer in one area (which will be far less material) We have so many scientists, mycologists, Hawaiian Natural Farmers, permaculturists and bioremediation leaders on island who could study this and this information could pave the way for future fires around the world. Most times the debris is taken to a Toxic waste facility far away (often on other indigenous land) and so there’s a lot lacking in our longitudinal studies that would inform future fires and the way we heal and restore land lost fire. This will also create jobs.
4.) Then we have the 6 inches deep of a soil layer that would then get mixed with locally sourced compost, Woodchips, locally sourced biomass materials and inoculated biochar and it would get dropped in depressed windrows (like how they do composting large scale only in the depressed lined area that they already created). Then water in with compost tea on timers and introduce indigenous microorganisms collected from above the burnscar. The native microorganisms are an unseen brilliance so deeply overlooked. They know how to repair, and to heal the land… that’s what they are here to do. Once/week we would water in with a water truck filled with active compost tea, in month 2-4 you can add in worms (for chelating heavy metals) with an over layer of active compost. Next phase is mycoremediation using native fungi (during rainy months only as we have lost our mycelium due to dry out in other fire impacted zones).
Then finally Phytoremediation using plants that chelate toxins. We have the people on island who can do this, many of us have been working for free dedicating hundreds of hours to trying to make headway… even groups willing to fundraise all on their own to make it happen. We have been standing by wanting to ensure bioremediation efforts happen to the fullest ability because it would be foolish not to use a technology that works. Why store away toxins and leave it for our future generations to deal with one day rather than to neutralize the toxins before storing any of it away? There won’t be such a fight about where to store the material if it’s mostly inert.
Mahalo.
I strong oppose I surf here!!!!
My Royal Hawaiian Family Vehemently Oppose The Desecration of More Royal Hawaiian Family Lands, protected Under HRS 172-11, HRS 1-1, HRS 5-7.5, The Great Mahele of 1848, All U.S. & H.I. Constitutions, Ex. U.S. Constitution Article 6, Clause 2 The Supreme Law of The Land = Treaties; which can be found in the Hawaii State Archives (across the Crapital on Iolani Palace Royal Grounds) and online via www.hawaiiankingdom.org and by speaking to Dr. Keanu Sai, the real cousin to Keanu Reeves (John Wick & The Matrix Neo Characters) We highly suggest you ship all of this toxic waste to "THE VATICAN" home of the pedophiles/annunaki/draconian/luciferian/nordic/alien/ET/weirdos & Invoice Them; they are the worlds smallest country with the most money and they haven't paid taxes to the Hawaiian Kingdom Since King David Kalakaua times.
Here are the historical and data facts to blow your minds; so you can't pretend stupid.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zpSCx0e4-PfYsJnc6uRcOjwCLtC5bXOrxCPe8yT2cUc/edit?fbclid=IwAR0aKutJjQZLEhPn4H2gvzXc63Mtq0EIlaROP3IBo7SFv6qvwYXamwy5js8
Here is the Petition To Stop The Toxic Dump Waste at Olowalu
https://shorturl.at/ruNO5
If you want to know more, speak to Mr. Eddy Garcia, CEO 501c3 Non-Profit Regenerative Education Centers, www.recenters.org and he can answer most of your expert questions; because he actually lives right next door to the toxic waste disposal site!
Think about this! you're going to kill people, the ocean, the water, streams, mountain and make a huge disaster for others to suffer and deal with! Think about the Ramifications and then think of a better solution than using Olowalu as Toxic Waste Dump Site!
King Kekaulike Royal Ohana