Hawaii will transform state land into a memorial to the 97 people who died in August’s devastating wildfires, officials said.
The land in Olowalu, five miles south of where wildfires devastated Lahaina, will also be used as a dumping ground for ash, some of which still contains human remains.
“It allows the Lahaina ashes, which contain human remains, to remain in West Maui,” Shayne Agawa, director of the Maui Department of Environmental Management, told the state Board of Land and Natural Resources before Friday’s vote. to approve the plan.
The ash contains high levels of dangerous arsenic and lead and is currently exposed to wind and rain, Agawa said.
Removing it as soon as possible will reduce the risk for residents returning to the city.
The debris will be placed in plastic-lined containers, wrapped and sealed with glue, before being covered with another layer of plastic.
The packages would then be buried in the landfill and covered with grass.
Hawaii officials approved the use of state land on Maui for a wildfire memorial and debris removal site, but concerns have been raised about environmental impacts. James Keivom
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency crews have been removing toxic items, including remains of burned cars and buildings, pesticides and solar-powered batteries.
The steel and concrete at the site would be recycled, officials also said.
Some expressed concern about the landfill’s impact on nearby coral reefs and historic sites.
The deadly wildfires left piles of charred debris and killed 97 people. The land in Olowalu, five miles south of where wildfires devastated Lahaina, will also be used as a dumping ground for ash, some of which still contains human remains. AP
Scott Crawford, Maui marine director for The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, said he understood the need to quickly find a landfill and believes a memorial is important, but urged agencies to mitigate environmental effects.
The county said it plans to talk to the public about what the landfill would look like.
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