Third West Maui TDS report shows compliance with environmental regulations

TDS Transfer and Closure Plan in development

The West Maui Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site environmental monitoring quarterly report for the third 90-day operational period shows the findings from sampling and monitoring are in compliance with county, state and federal environmental regulations.

The full report is available online at https://www.mauirecovers.org/debris-containment.

Report highlights include:

● More than 1,550 residential and commercial properties have been cleared of more than 360,000 tons of ash and debris in Lahaina.

● More than 21,000 truckloads of ash and debris have been taken from Lahaina to the TDS site.

● There have been no exceedances of health-based Action Levels in air quality monitoring.

● There have been no events of any leachate leaving the lined basin; thus, there have been no suspected or potential impacts to groundwater or nearby waterways.

● All stormwater run-off/run-on Best Management Practices (BMPs) are functioning and inspected regularly.

● The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) installed two groundwater monitoring wells around the TDS site with the results of the first round of samples taken on July 7 posted. The second round of samples were taken on October 7. Results of these samples are expected next week and will be available in the site monitoring data that is posted every few weeks. Samples will continue to be collected quarterly going forward.

On Jan. 21, 2024, the Maui County Council approved Ordinance 5596, also known as Bill 120, which granted USACE and its contractors right-of-entry (ROE) to utilize two parcels located in Olowalu, West Maui, as the Temporary Debris Storage site for ash and debris from the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires in Lahaina.

Bill 120 requires that best efforts be used to protect against the runoff of debris or leachate from the TDS site to the ocean, including through run-on and run-off control, groundwater-detection monitoring, air quality monitoring, stormwater-pollution prevention, and maintenance of adequate documentation, record keeping, and transparent public reporting on these efforts.

The data from this sampling and monitoring is publicly available, consistent with Chapter 92F, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes. Information is available at the Maui Recovers Debris Containment page at www.mauirecovers.org/debris-containment.

As required in Bill 120, the data was presented in a public forum within the first two 90-day operational periods. Unfortunately, due to the National Weather Service Red Flag Warning issued Wednesday for leeward areas of the state, Hawaiian Electric Co. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) watches and the cancelation of the Lahaina Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting, the formal presentation of the third quarterly report will be postponed. The public will be notified when the presentation is rescheduled.

The first operational period began on Jan. 21, 2024, when the Council approved the Olowalu ROE, through April 19, 2024. The second operational period began on April 20, 2024, through July 18, 2024, and the third operational period began on July 19, 2024, through October 17, 2024.

USACE will continue the environmental monitoring, and data will be reported every 90 days for the duration of the ROE agreement. The fourth quarterly report will be submitted by Jan. 16, 2025.

Ash and debris from Lahaina will continue to be removed by USACE and taken to the Temporary Debris Storage site in Olowalu, where it will remain until the Permanent Disposal Site (PDS) is constructed.

The County Department of Environmental Management also would like the public to be aware that a Transfer and Closure Plan is in development by the County of Maui, USACE, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is available online at https://www.mauirecovers.org/debris-containment.

The Transfer and Closure Plan, which will be updated, includes:

● The planning, process and procedures for transfer of ash and debris from the TDS site to the Central Maui Landfill (CML)

● Safety and environmental considerations for ash and debris for all phases of work (TDS interim closure, TDS debris loading, hauling, PDS offloading, debris landfilling, PDS interim closure)

● Details on the closure and removal of the TDS site, as well as confirmatory sampling to ensure there was no impact on the land:

- All equipment, lined areas and structures will be removed

- The area will be graded as close to original conditions as possible

- Communicating plans and progress to the public

Once commercial cleanup efforts in Lahaina are complete, the TDS site will stop receiving waste and will be temporarily closed and secured. The County of Maui Solid Waste Division will work in coordination with DOH and USACE to monitor the TDS site and ensure human health and the environment are protected. USACE will become the caretaker of the TDS site until transfer begins.

Once the PDS location at CML is constructed and ready to receive the ash and debris (expected in mid-2025), the transfer will commence. The transfer and closure process is expected to take approximately 12 to 18 months to complete. For inquiries, complaints or issues, call the USACE Hotline at (877) 214-9117.

For more information on debris removal and containment and to view the full presentations, reports, plans or supporting documents, visit https://www.mauirecovers.org/debris-containment.

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