EPA begins work on burned commercial properties in Lahaina
Agency has removed hazardous materials from 90% of burned properties
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The Maui News
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began removing hazardous materials from commercial properties in Lahaina on Friday as it nears the end of its monthslong effort to clean up properties following the Aug. 8 wildfire.
"The work is not done, but the completion of EPA's Phase I work is in sight," EPA Incident Cmdr. Tara Fitzgerald said in a news release Friday. "We have started work on the most technically difficult properties, which signal a near transition to the Army Corps work of removing all remaining debris on properties."
Commercial properties present unique challenges because of their larger size and the increased likelihood of finding more diverse hazardous materials, which could take longer for crews to clear, the EPA said.
Removal of hazardous materials will take place on commercial properties that have been identified as not having a risk for field workers. The risks include unstable structures, collapsed roofs or other physical hazards. Commercial properties that cannot be addressed during this phase will be addressed in the second phase.
The EPA began the first phase of its cleanup in late August and prioritized residential properties to allow local residents to visit their properties as soon as possible after the risk presented by hazardous materials was reduced.
So far, the agency has removed 90 percent of hazardous materials from burned residential and commercial properties in Lahaina. The updated completion percentage includes a change in the total number of parcels to be cleared by the EPA from 1,601 to 1,620. The change is a normal part of any EPA response process as the agency gets closer to the end of major parcel assessments. Teams are able to view smaller areas that were not previously identified during the initial collection of potential properties through remote sensing but are important as they may contain burned sheds or electric vehicles found while in the field.
Controlling the spread of ash and debris remains a focus of EPA teams. The agency continues to apply soil stabilizer to the ash footprint on all impacted properties in Lahaina -- excluding areas of cultural significance -- to protect human health and the environment. The stabilizer helps prevent toxic ash and debris from entering the air, nearby properties, waterways and the ocean, the EPA said.
EPA teams are also continuing to work to identify, transport and safely dispose of lithium ion batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles, charging stations and solar power systems. Fire-damaged lithium ion batteries need to be recovered with specific care, deenergized and disposed of properly. Maui County has cautioned owners of electric and hybrid vehicles to avoid trying to start, work on or sit in fire-damaged vehicles that remain in the disaster area, as they are likely to be very dangerous.
EPA teams have also begun hazardous material assessments for multistory apartment buildings, an effort that didn't start until last week because of the number of layered debris and the difficulty of safely entering and operating within these properties. It is likely that most of the hazardous waste recovery work will be deferred to the second phase of debris removal, the EPA said.
Once the EPA finishes its work in Phase 1, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin the next phase of clearing debris. Officials have said they will only do so after residents have had a chance to return to their properties.
Residents with questions about Phase 1 can meet with EPA outreach teams that are rotating through the Disaster Recovery Center at the Lahaina Civic Center, Napili Park Emergency Resource Hub, Maui Mall Village and the Maui County building in Wailuku.
For more details on EPA's response, visit www.epa.gov/maui-wildfires.
For questions about property reentry or general updates about the recovery process, visit mauirecovers.org.