Testimony Deadline Thursday 12/21 at 9am: Toxic Dump Site at Olowalu
Let the Maui County Council know that we don’t want a toxic dump site on sacred land at Olowalu. Please testify in opposition and show up to the meeting on Friday 12/22 at 9am.
Hawai‘i Unites supporter Sara Patton attended Monday’s Community Meeting with me to learn more about the planned toxic waste dump in Olowalu. We were disappointed that the community wasn’t given an opportunity to testify. Eddy Garcia of Regenerative Education Centers did get to speak in opposition to the project, and we were thankful that he questioned the panel on their narrative. Garcia has been releasing very informative videos on this topic.
We can make our voices heard at the Maui County Council’s special meeting this Friday, December 22nd, at 9:00am. Let the councilmembers know that we don’t want to see the sacred land of Olowalu turned into a toxic dump site. Send in written testimony, and attend the meeting in person or by phone or video to testify. Speak out now to protect the ‘āina.
Sara Patton shared her overview of Monday’s meeting, and the details are highly concerning:
“Unfortunately, it was not interactive. It was a two-hour presentation from FEMA, Army Corps of Engineers, and the county. Eddy Garcia asked the panel whether the air quality testing would include dioxins, and they all looked like deer in the headlights. He says that the only way dioxins can be detected is through sophisticated testing, not air quality monitors on site.
Eddy’s latest Instagram posts say that there’s never been an instance where materials were moved out from a temporary disposal site. And the Army Corps is clearly prepping the permanent site and lying about it. He called them out on that to their face and they didn’t respond.
They are looking at ‘possible permanent sites.’ Every one of them is on the West Side near the coastline, except for the Central Maui Landfill. [The potential Hawaiian Cement Quarry site is in Waikapu.] [Mayor] Bissen said it would ultimately be his decision.
Eddy said he’s talked to council members and expects them to vote yes on Friday, which will allow the Army Corps access to Olowalu for another year.
Right now, they’re coming up against the 90-day deadline of access, which was granted by emergency proclamation.
There are various organic remediation possibilities, but it looks to me like our government has not considered, and will not consider, them. It feels like Olowalu is steamrolling forward.
They plan to start moving materials, ‘burrito wrapped,’ into the temporary disposal site mid-January.
Eddy also stated at the meeting that FEMA said they would move the materials off island at no cost to us, but the county was not aware of that offer. They are saying that it would cost too much and take too long (3 years) to ship off island. And there is the problem of trucking it over to Kahului Harbor. It’s 40,000 truckloads.
It seems like the only way this is going to stop is through a miracle. It’s been suggested that we call/email our mayor and county council. Is this what they want their legacy to be?”
We don’t want the next generation to inherit this potentially catastrophic environmental hazard. 400,000 tons of contaminated debris and ash containing toxic substances including arsenic, antimony, cobalt, copper, and lead would be buried at a historically and culturally significant area near a critical ocean reef. Please speak up at Friday’s meeting.
Sample Testimony to email by Thursday 12/21 at 9:00am:
I’m opposed to Bill 120 and do not want Olowalu used as a disposal site for toxic debris and ash from the Lahaina fires. This plan could irreversibly harm the health of Maui’s people, wildlife, and environment.
Hawai‘i Unites has taken the state to court to stop the release of bacteria-infected mosquitoes on Maui. Your donations help move our legal case forward. Mahalo for supporting the work that we’re doing to protect the ‘āina.
Aloha,
Tina Lia
Founder
Hawai‘i Unites
HawaiiUnites.org
Hawai‘i Unites is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of our environment and natural resources. Your tax-deductible donations help us to fulfill our mission of honoring and protecting our sacred connection to the natural world.
