Hawaii’s land board says it will hand over state land on Maui to be used for a wildfire memorial and fire debris disposal. But members of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources urged Maui County to talk further with the community after some raised concerns about how the proposed landfill would affect nearby coral reefs and historic sites.
FILE - A general view shows the aftermath of a devastating wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 22, 2023. Federal authorities have started removing hazardous materials from the Maui wildfires and laying the groundwork to dispose of burnt cars, buildings and other debris. The hazardous materials, including oil, solvent and batteries, are being shipped to the West Coast while the U.S.
Officials said the debris would be put into dumpsters lined with impermeable plastic, then wrapped up like a burrito and sealed with glue. Another layer of plastic would then cover it before it’s placed in the landfill site, which would be closed and covered with grass. It would look like a park, Agawa said.
The reef off Olowalu hosts the largest known manta ray population in the U.S. and is a primary source of coral larvae for the reefs of Lanai, Molokai and West Maui, said Scott Crawford, the Maui marine director for The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. Crawford said he understood the urgency of moving quickly to find a landfill site and believes a memorial is important for the community but urged that agencies mitigate any long-term environmental effects.
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