September—October 2023 Newsletter
EPA’s Response to the Maui Wildfires
EPA personnel are on Maui to work with federal, state and local government partners on response and recovery efforts, with a focus on the removal of hazardous materials from fire-impacted areas. EPA has provided hazardous material health and safety training to over 20 cultural monitors from the Maui community, enabling the monitors to be on-site and guide EPA personnel while the agency removes household hazardous material. The agency has removed hazardous materials from over 85 percent of the burned properties in Lāhainā, Maui. EPA has also begun applying soil stabilizer on the ash and debris footprints of burned buildings; this will reduce mobility of the toxic ash that could impact people's health and the environment. EPA and the County of Maui are collaborating to dispose of fire-damaged lithium-ion batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles. The agency is also working on drinking water infrastructure issues on Maui. EPA’s work to remove hazardous materials is the first phase of a two-phased federal response to dealing with debris on burned properties. The second phase of the federal response is the removal of all debris from the affected properties, which will occur after EPA’s work is complete and will be overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- Maui Now: EPA’s Hazardous Materials Removal 75% Complete
- EPA: Maui Wildfires
Investing in the Pacific Southwest
EPA continues to invest in the Pacific Southwest and recently celebrated historic funding, provided through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, to create a city-wide reusable foodware system in Hilo, Hawaii, that is focused on training, technical assistance and infrastructure. EPA is also funding grants to the California Department of Public Health and the University of California, Los Angeles, to develop and adopt practices that prevent pollution at the source in local communities. Additionally, through the Investing in America agenda, EPA is expanding recycling infrastructure and waste management systems in Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, California, tribes and the Pacific Islands. “These innovative local government, territory and state grants will solve zero waste challenges across the Pacific Southwest,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "EPA is proud to support these groundbreaking efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, advance environmental justice and aid the transition to a circular economy that will bring benefits for decades to come."
- West Hawaii Today: Reducing Waste: Big Island, UH Get $2.1 million to diminish disposable foodware
- EPA: Investing in America
Enforcement Update
EPA Approves Red Hill Defueling Preparedness Report
EPA recently approved the Joint Task Force-Red Hill Defueling Preparedness Report outlining how safe defueling will proceed at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. "EPA’s approval of the joint task force report is a significant milestone in the process to safely defuel Red Hill,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "This decision reflects our collaborative efforts with Hawai‘i Department of Health to work with the Department of Defense on ensuring the closure of the facility and protection of the area’s drinking water. This work is critical to safeguarding public health and the environment on Oahu.”
The Community, Equity & Resiliency Initiative will provide information, facilitate partnerships and engage with communities across the nation around Inflation Reduction Act and other new Investing in America funding programs.
Join a Virtual Open House in November
Alert
Wildfire and Smoke Resources
Public Involvement
EPA in the Pacific Southwest encourages public engagement in addressing environmental issues through public meetings, events and other opportunities for public participation.
More: Public Notices, Meetings and Events in EPA's Pacific Southwest