Committee approves $8 million shift to complete wildfire permanent disposal site

The Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee on March 11 voted to advance on first reading a fiscal-year-2025 budget amendment to shift $8,000,000 from operations and maintenance to construction for the County's planned wildfire permanent disposal site (PDS).

The vote comes after Department of Environmental Management leaders reported construction bids for the PDS exceeded estimates. "The anticipated cost came out above what we anticipated," said Shane Agawa, Managing Director and Director, Department of Environmental Management, describing the work as two phased: earthwork (underway) and the liner portion. Agawa said the money would cover a shortfall in the earthwork phase while operations bids are still pending.

The funding change does not increase overall expenditures; department officials said lower-than-expected operating costs allowed the reallocation without adding to the County's total spend. Budget Director Leslie Milner told the committee she had no immediate additions but was available to answer questions.

Public testifier Faith Chase urged continued emphasis on reuse and recycling opportunities for large items diverted from the PDS, and another commenter raised concern about calling a facility "permanent." Agawa described plans for weighing incoming tonnage and said FEMA reimbursement would be sought against tipping fees; he said scales used for Lahaina debris will be used to account for tonnage to the Central Maui PDS.

Committee members pressed for details about contractors, timelines and construction oversight. Agawa said the earthwork contract is with Alpha (phase 1) and the liner phase was rebid to Maui Kupono Builders; the earthwork portion was expected to be complete in mid-March with liner work under a notice to proceed in late March and installation to occur before early June. An environmental consultant will perform construction quality assurance inspections. On mitigation of windblown ash and debris, Agawa said debris will be wetted, wrapped during transport, and dust-control spraying will be performed at the PDS; he noted the PDS is sited in a 50-foot-deep cut, reducing wind uplift risks compared with open mounds.

Chair Yuki Lehi Sugimura moved the bill; the motion was seconded and approved on a voice/hand vote. The committee recorded seven votes in favor and two members excused. The bill proceeds as a first-reading recommendation to the full Council.

Members asked for follow-up on operations bids, anticipated FEMA reimbursement timelines and air-monitoring plans; staff said air monitoring will be contracted and results could be posted to public dashboards and discussed with the State Department of Health.

The committee also discussed contingency amounts built into the construction budget and the overall project cost, which committee members estimated in the low‑to‑mid tens of millions after two construction phases and contingency were combined. The PDS work is being designed to meet federal and state regulatory standards (including Subtitle D landfill design requirements) to preserve eligibility for federal funding.

The committee voted to recommend passage on first reading of Bill 35, which amends the FY25 budget to allocate the $8,000,000 shift from operations to construction for the wildfire permanent disposal site. The bill was approved on first reading by the committee.