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The Maui News
State and federal agencies have established a unified command that will oversee the cleanup of Lahaina Harbor and other waterways impacted by the West Maui wildfire.
Emergency Support Function No. 10 Western Maui Wildfire Unified Command consists of the U.S. Coast Guard, Hawaii Department of Health and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Its mission will be overseeing the assessment, removal and disposal of incident-generated hazardous materials, response to actual and potential oil discharges, and clearance of marine debris and sunken or displaced vessels from designated waterways, including Lahaina Harbor, according to a news release.
"We are working diligently to help the people of Maui recover from this disaster," said Cmdr. Melanie Burnham, U.S. Coast Guard ESF No. 10 incident commander. 'Our priority is to safely mitigate hazardous materials, debris, and potential and actual pollution from the waterways surrounding Lahaina. We are taking tangible steps to safeguard the Maui community in coordination with our partners to support local recovery efforts."
As part of the unified command, the state Department of Health is working to oversee the removal and remediation of hazardous substances, such as oil, from waterways in Lahaina.
"We continue to collaborate closely with county, federal, state and community partners to protect Maui residents and our environment," said Elizabeth Galvez, DOH state on-scene coordinator. "The ESF #10 operational phase is an important transition point as we continue this critical work."
Assessment teams place highest priority on vessels actively discharging pollution and can take immediate action to contain the material and remove it from the environment, the news release said. Vessel owners impacted by the wildfire may contact the Western Maui Wildfire ESF #10 Harbor Coordination Group at D14-SH-SecHono-MTSRU@uscg.mil and should include their name, phone number and vessel registration number in their email.
"We have been coordinating with our partner agencies to reach this point where we can begin the critical work of recovery for our waterways and natural resources affected by this tragedy," said Ed Underwood, administrator with the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation. "Transitioning to the ESF #10 provides the tools to support our harbor community."