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Key Messages: Hawai‘i Wildfires Response

USACE Media Line: 808-835-4062
HawaiiFiresMedia@usace.army.mil

USACE Debris Call Center: 877-214-9117

These messages may be used interchangeably with media or members of the public when working in the field.

(DATED March 1, 2024)

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COMMAND MESSAGES

  • We bring many unique capabilities to the Hawai‘i wildfires response, but we are just one piece of a much larger Army and Department of Defense team working to support our local, state and federal partners.
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is dedicated to minimizing risks to public safety and respecting the people, culture and environment of Hawai‘i.
  • We are working side-by-side with our partners to help survivors recover from the wildfires as fast as possible, and we are committed to getting it done right.
  • We share our deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and the people of Hawai‘i whose homes, businesses and communities, rich with heritage and culture have been tragically impacted by the wildfires.
  • USACE is working with Lahaina-based community leaders, cultural leaders, kupuna (elders) and other statewide Native Hawaiian Organizations to deliver cultural sensitivity and awareness training to all USACE personnel and contractors executing its response missions and will integrate that training with other federal agencies and their contractors.

MISSION TALKING POINTS

Mission Overview

 
  • USACE is working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to rapidly clean residential properties impacted by the August 8, 2023, wildfires in Kula/Olinda and the historic town of Lahaina.
  • The safety of the public, the USACE workforce, and our contractors is our top priority.
  • We are all here to help the people of Kula and Lahaina recover and begin the rebuilding process.
  • USACE is committed to the full consideration of property owners’ concerns and privacy. We continue to execute our mission and fully respect the sensitivities surrounding the events of Aug. 8, 2023.
  • The Hawai‘i wildfire cleanup requires a coordinated fire debris removal effort that includes FEMA, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Maui County, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  • Property owners with questions about eligibility, operations or other concerns can contact the USACE Debris Call Center at 877-214-9117.
    • The Call Center is staffed Monday-Friday 6am-6:30pm, Saturday 6am-4:30pm, and Sunday/Holidays 6am-2:30pm.
    • Or visit Maui County's comprehensive website for information and resources at https://www.mauirecovers.org/.

 


Recovery Field Office
There are currently 103 employees on-site and 47 employees on reachback taskers for a total of 200 USACE employees actively working on wildfire recovery efforts. There are 362 USACE contractors working on the mission, 262 (232 of which are from Maui) and 122 are from areas other than Hawai‘i. 

Fatalities and rental properties

We have cleared lots with fatalities.  We don’t have a list of names only locations, we are unaware if any renters have been contracted.  As part of our protocol we are contacting the owners of each property at least twice before we are going onto a property.  As part of this process we are asking are if they are renting the building and if the renters have had a chance to remove their property.  This action was coordinated with the County, State, and FEMA as part of our protocol to ensure we are doing our due diligence in ensuring that property owners (buildings/structures and the contents if renting) are part of the recovery process.  If the renter is not noted on the ROE or the TMK data from the County we are unaware that there is another person to contact.

Debris Removal

Kula

  • USACE and our partners began Phase 2 debris removal in Kula on Nov. 7, 2023, and successfully completed that effort on Jan. 19, 2024, clearing ash and debris from 25 Kula properties.
  • All wildfire debris removed from Kula was delivered to the Central Maui Landfill.

    Lahaina
  • USACE and our partners began Phase 2 debris removal in Lahaina on Jan. 16, 2024. As of the close of business March 5, 2024, physical debris removal has been completed on 215 residential properties. Forty-eight properties have been returned to the county to date. To date, 1,488 rights-of-way have been received by USACE of 2,181 rights-of-entry forms submitted to the County of Maui, which are required to initiate Phase 2 work in Lahaina. 
  • Native Hawaiian, Maui-based cultural advisors are leading cultural observation efforts throughout the active debris removal process to protect Maui’s cultural heritage.
  • (Reference the Lahaina Debris Removal Status Public Viewer for most up-to-date debris removal numbers in Lahaina. Note the “Current as of” date in the lower left. Numbers will always lag 12-24 hours.)
  • After coordinating with owners, cultural experts, and archeologists, USACE contractors load the non-recyclable ash and debris from residential properties into plastic lined trucks for safe transport to the 8-acre Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site four miles away in Olowalu.
  • The purpose of the plastic lining/debris wrap is to prevent airborne ash and debris while being transported to the TDS site. (Once placed at the TDS site, the plastic wrap is NOT intended to stay intact.)

Trees 

  • It is our goal, along with our federal, state and local partners, to minimize the removal of the remaining trees in the impacted areas. USACE contracted with registered foresters and arborists to complete Hazardous Tree Assessments in the impacted areas. 
  • Trees that pose an imminent threat of falling into the public right-of-way, or that present a hazard to workers or the work zone, have been marked for removal – unmarked trees will not be removed.
  • Property owners are encouraged to document on their right-of-entry (ROE) form, any trees on their property that they want to keep. Maui County arborists will review these requests with their federal, state and local partners and provide a determination. 

Deferred Properties

  • If a property is marked “Deferred” or “Partially Deferred,” it means there is a safety hazard on the site, such as a standing wall or fire-damaged tree, that could collapse or fall. USACE will not allow our workers to enter that site until the safety hazard is mitigated.
  • Once the site is made safe, we will proceed with Phase I assessment, removing hazardous materials, hazardous household waste (HHM), bulk asbestos materials (BAM), etc. When we have cleared the environmental or hazardous issue(s), we will remove any deferred signs and property owner will be allowed re-entry to their property prior to Phase 2 debris removal. 

Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site

USACE is working side-by-side with our partners to help survivors recover from the wildfires and is committed to getting it done safely and respecting the people, culture and environment of Hawai‘i.  (There is ongoing litigation, this is the approved talking point for TDS)

Insurance and Paying for Non-eligible Debris

  • Neither USACE nor our contractors will ever collect money or insurance proceeds from property owners for debris removal.
  • Insurance questions are not in USACE’s purview. Property owners are strongly encouraged to contact the County of Maui and their insurance company directly for specific details regarding insurance settlements.

Debris Ash Concerns and Air Monitoring

  • USACE is dedicated to minimizing the dust produced from debris removal operations.  Our contractor is using a water-spraying method to eliminate the material from becoming airborne.
  • The USACE prime contractor, Environmental Chemical Corporation (ECC), completed an air monitoring and surveillance plan that was accepted by Hawaii Department of Health.
  • USACE Contractors have real-time perimeter air monitors adjacent to work locations. If there are exceedances of action levels, the contractor will stop work, assess, and remediate the situation as necessary, before restarting work.
  • The air monitoring program is being overseen by an ECC Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). Calibrated air sampling pumps are used to collect personal exposure samples for asbestos, metals, and respirable dust/crystalline silica. We will use the results of these tests throughout the debris removal process to assess the appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE, that needs to be used by site workers.
  • Contractors entering the “hot zone,” or ash footprint, are required to be in Tyvek suits and half-face respirators since they are working directly in the debris zone and moving about in the ash.
  • Workers immediately outside the hot zone as delineated by the contractors with red marking tape, are not moving about in the ash, and therefore, not required to be in Tyvek suits.
  • All workers at minimum are required to be in hard hat, safety shoes, safety glasses, and reflective vest.
  • USACE contractors are using dust reduction methods that have been derived from lessons-learned from multiple successfully executed debris removal events from the past few years.
  • Residents concerned about the long-term health risks due to the fires are encouraged to contact the Hawai‘i State Department of Health

Debris Removal RTQ Only

Q: What are the hours of operation for debris removal?
A: There are no set hours for either debris removal   operations, but in general, it’s around 7am-5pm, 7 days a week. The Contractor starts after the morning pule and runs until the evening pule. They might stop work on a particular property a little earlier in the day if they’ve reached a particular point in the process and it makes better sense to continue the next day. 

There are other factors that go into operation hours as well – like weather. If it’s too windy or rainy, the debris removal crews will halt operations until it’s safe to resume. Often times, if crews are unable to continue working debris removal, they can work on sorting recyclable materials like concrete and steel.

Q: Why is there still debris on my property after debris removal was completed?
A: If USACE has completed debris removal on your property, then USACE has cleaned all eligible debris from the ash footprint of that property. Eligible debris and the ash footprint is defined by FEMA. If debris remains on your property, it was deemed not eligible for the government-sponsored Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) program and the property owner is responsible for its removal.

  • USACE has a quality control process in place for debris removal:
    • USACE completes a thorough 360-site walk looking for remaining eligible debris and requires job completion before signing off on completion of the job.
      • Once our 360-site walk is complete, we submit a report to Maui County showing our work.
      • The County of Maui then signs off on the completed job as well.
      • The chances of leaving eligible debris behind in the defined ash footprint is pretty much zero.

Q: Who is responsible for cleaning the remaining debris?
A:
Non-eligible debris is the responsibility of the property owner. Property owners should contact their insurance company and Maui County to determine next steps. USACE has no role in the insurance piece and collects no money from the property owner.

USACE is managing the removal of the debris on Maui as part of the federal government’s unified national response following the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires that impacted the towns of Lahaina and Kula. The wildfires damaged or destroyed around 2,200 Maui County structures, requiring a coordinated fire debris removal cleanup. Debris removal missions assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency include the removal of ash and debris from private (residential), commercial and public properties. 

A public facing viewer is available for the community to track progress by visiting https://www.mauirecovers.org and clicking on the “Understand the Cleanup Process” link. 

Two staging areas for vehicles and collection of Hazardous Household Material/Bulk Asbestos Material (HHM/BAM) have been reviewed and approved by FEMA. Vehicles and collection of Hazardous Household Material/Bulk Asbestos Material (HHM/BAM) continue to be transported to respective staging areas. 

In Lahaina, the Phase 2 contractor continues to remove vehicles from the right-of-way (ROW). To date, 420 of an estimated 523 ROW vehicles have been removed to a recycling operation. An additional 574 vehicles have been removed from private property.  The U.S. Coast Guard has completed fire-related debris removal (vessels) from the harbor.  

For information on the Hawai‘i wildfire response or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, visit https://www.poh.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Response/Hawaii-Wildfires/.   FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell, and the Small Business Association Administrator, Isabell Guzman, both visited the TDS and observed ongoing debris removal in Lahaina on Feb. 8, 2024. 

Critical Public Facilities (CPF)

  • USACE received a FEMA mission assignment on Sept. 13, 2023, to support the State of Hawai‘i and the State Department of Education (DOE) to design and oversee installation of a temporary elementary school campus for the Lahaina community.
  • Installation of the temporary school in West Maui began Nov. 20, 2023.
  • USACE and our partners are working extremely hard and as quickly as possible to deliver the temporary King Kamehameha III Elementary School on-schedule, but with an eye on safety and completing the job correctly the first time.
  • USACE issued our contractor the notice to proceed (start construction) on Nov. 20, 2023. That contract stipulates 95 days for delivery of the school to the DOE. That was extended by one day to 96 days, to allow our team members to honor the people of Lahaina and the Lahaina Unity Gathering. That puts our delivery date to DOE on Feb. 24, 2024. DOE will then furnish and install telecommunication equipment before opening the school for the fourth school quarter of this year.
  • We have placed all 336 modular units that make up 38 buildings. Those buildings will be used for classrooms, restrooms, a dining room, community space, admin space, a learning resources space, and more.
  • The temporary school is designed to welcome approximately 600 elementary school students who were displaced by the Aug. 8, 2024, wildfires that damaged their original Lahaina school.
  • As of Feb. 27, 2024, all 38 structures for the West Maui Temporary School are ready for occupancy. Construction was complete on Feb, 24, 2024. The structures include 20 Type B Classrooms, 10 Type A Classrooms, 3 Stand-Alone Restrooms as well as Dining Room/Food Service, Community Space, Administration, Learning Resources, and Maintenance buildings. The 38 buildings required 336 modular units. The covered open space and covered student drop-off area are also complete. 
     
  • Installation of the on-site underground water, sewer, electrical, and fire lines is complete. All manholes have been set on-site.  All five fire hydrants have been placed on-site. The drainage basin, access road, and parking lot are complete. The basketball court was completed on Feb. 20, 2024. The flagpoles were installed on Feb. 5, 2024. The sidewalks were completed on Feb. 6, 2024. The entire campus was energized on Feb. 8, 2024. The water meters were installed on Feb. 21, 2024, and water was pushed to the 38 structures on Feb. 24, 2024, making them ready for occupancy. Ten construction days were lost due to rain. 
  • ​The first small classroom was set on Nov. 30, 2023, and the last administration building was set on Jan. 29, 2024. All buildings are connected to the utilities (water, sewer and electric). Furthermore, the 16’ x 12’ trash area was completed on Feb. 22, 2024. The irrigation system, topsoil, and sod were completed on Feb. 20, 2024. The erosion control fabric, topsoil, irrigation, and planting vegetation on the slopes were completed on Feb. 19, 2024.

Temporary Housing 

  • USACE received a FEMA mission assignment on Oct. 28, 2023, to provide conceptual design, site preparation, and construction for temporary housing “pads” or places to put housing units on. FEMA is responsible for the procurement and installation of the actual temporary housing units. 
  • At this time, FEMA is still in negotiations for temp housing site selection, but USACE stands ready to assist our local, state, and federal partners when called up to begin construction of temp housing infrastructure.
  • USACE received a $1.9 million mission assignment on Oct. 28, 2023, to design and construct a temporary housing group site.

  • On Dec. 08, 2023, FEMA provided guidance including pad sizes, distribution percentage of each, and a 15% target for pads conforming to UFAS (Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard). Contracting will be facilitated by the Honolulu District of the US Army Corps of Engineers with Alaska District assisting as needed and augmentation regionally, if necessary.
  • On Dec. 19, 2023, USACE facilitated site visits and briefings for FEMA Regional Administrator Bob Fenton and several of his staff at Ka’anapali and Waikapū at which time Mr. Fenton gave verbal approval to proceed to full design on both sites with a change from 50% to 70% 1-BDRM pads. USACE drafted a MATO for full design and it was signed by an authorized FEMA representative.
  • A subsequent meeting on Dec. 22, 2023, with Mayor Bissen and Gov. Green resulted in verbal notice from Mr. Fenton to move forward with Ka’anapali for contracting actions as well. The State sent a letter to FEMA requesting construction at Ka’anapali and Waikapū on Dec. 28, 2023.
  • On Jan. 04, 2024, FEMA signed a MATO authorizing full design on a new site, Villages of Leiali’i. 
  • On Jan. 19, 2024, FEMA signed a MATO authorizing construction at Ka’anapali. 
  • On Jan. 23, 2024, an amendment was signed extending the mission to March 26, 2024, and adding $35,236,000. Currently, there are three FEMA-provided sites under consideration, Ka’anapali 2020, Villages of Leiali’i, and Waikapū Country Town.
  • FEMA Environmental and Historical Preservation (EHP) secured a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on Feb. 07, 2024. Both of these items are required to initiate contracting actions. The Coastal Zone Management two-week public comment period for Ka’anapali commenced on Feb. 07, 2024, with no anticipated impact to schedule. 
  • As of Feb. 08, 2024, survey efforts are 100% complete at all sites.
  • FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell, and the Small Business Association Administrator, Isabell Guzman, both visited the Ka’anapali 2020 site and received a briefing from USACE on Feb. 9, 2024. 
  • 19 FEB 2024 – Coastal Zone Management review was completed for Villages of Leialiʻi
  • 22 FEB 2024 – FEMA directed the USACE to focus on Leialiʻi. Design and cost estimating effort switched from Kaʻanapali to Leialiʻi.
  • 23 FEB 2024 – FEMA provides written notice that the USACE should stop design work for Waikapū
  • 26 FEB 2024 – The Design Team from LRH completed the Plans and Specifications and the Cost Estimator from MVM completes the CWE for Leialiʻi. Plans and specifications are sent out to stakeholders for BCOES review.
  • FEMA is working with the State to procure an ROE for Leialiʻi. FEMA is also working with the State Historic Preservation Division to have the archeological monitoring and lift requirements for Leialiʻi mirror those already issued for Kaʻanapali. Once the FONSI and ROE are received and the archeological monitoring requirements issued by the State, POH Contracting will begin the acquisition process. POH Contracting has identified an 8(a) Contractor for sole source negotiation.

Contracts

  • USACE awarded a $52.5 million contract October 16, 2023, for Phase I Hazardous Site Assessments for Household Material and Bulk Asbestos Removal in Lahaina and Kula/Olinda to Dawson Solutions, LLC, a Native Hawaiian Organization 8(a) contractor. The performance period for this contract is three months.
  • USACE awarded a $18.7 million contract October 16, 2023, to AEPAC, based out of Honolulu, for cultural monitoring of the debris-related Federal Emergency Management Agency missions assigned to USACE.
  • USACE awarded a $5.7 million contract October 19, 2023, for Environmental Chemical Corporation, or ECC, to perform Phase II residential debris removal in Kula. The performance period for this contract is three months.
  • USACE awarded a second contract to ECC for $64.2 million on January 5, 2024, to perform Phase II residential debris removal in Lahaina.
  • USACE awarded a $53.7 million base contract Nov. 4, 2023, for Pono Aina Management, LLC, of Waianae, Hawai‘I, to install a temporary elementary school to replace the King Kamehameha III Elementary School that was burned in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire.

 

 

If approached by...

 

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

  • Refer general inquiries from members of the public first to MauiRecovers.org or the Maui Disaster Support Call Center, which is provided by the State of Hawai‘i and Maui County as a central assistance hub for community members affected by the Hawai‘i wildfires: (808) 727-1550 (Available 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily)
  • Additional resources may include:

     EPA Hotline: 808-539-0555 or R9wildfires@epa.gov
     FEMA Hotline: 800-621-FEMA (800-621-3362)
     Red Cross: 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767)
     POH Contracting: 808-835-4386 | POHanaContracting@usace.army.mil
     POH Small Business: 808 835-4020 | sb.poh@usace.army.mil
 

     FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTER

     For those seeking information on missing/unaccounted for loved ones, families and individuals can provide detailed information and DNA swabs to assist in the identification process. Location: Ka‘anapali at the Hyatt Regency Monarchy Ballroom, 200 Nohea Kai Drive. Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Contact: 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA

  • Always notify PAO before or immediately after you are contacted by the media.
  • If approached by a member of the media, you may give them your name and occupation, and discuss your role and why it matters.
  • Need images? Check DVIDS and search #hawaiiwildfires23 or click this link

CONDUCT A PRE-INTERVIEW CHECK

  • Remove ID Card/badge.
     
  • Ensure you are wearing appropriate personal protection equipment, if applicable.
     
  • Remove sunglasses, if possible.
     
  • Look at your surroundings – is there something in the background that should not be seen or is there something that you want to highlight?

HELPFUL MEDIA SPEAKING TIPS

  • You are always on the record, and it is quite possible you will be recorded.
     
  • Do not share classified or sensitive information.
    • Response = command message + talking point ​NOTE: Command messages assert the District’s position, talking points provide facts.
       
  • Stay in your lane: Speak only about the things you have the authority and knowledge to address; provide PAO contact information if outside your lane.
     
  • Do not say “no comment.”
     
  • Avoid jargon: Speak plainly and avoid acronyms.
     
  • Stick to the facts and, if possible, correct factual errors.
     
  • It’s okay to ask to “start over.”
     
  • It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.”
    • Wrong info is worse - don’t speculate. Offer to connect them with PAO so they can get back to the reporter with the information they are seeking.

Contact Information

If you have questions regarding the Regulatory program or need assistance in submitting a permit, please contact us at (808) 835-4303, or send an email to CEPOH-RO@usace.army.mil.

Contact Information

Regulatory Office
Building 252
Fort Shafter, HI  96858-5440
(808) 835-4303
CEPOH-RO@usace.army.mil 

 

Contact Information

If you have questions regarding the Regulatory program or need assistance in submitting a permit, please contact us at (808) 835-4303, or send an email to CEPOH-RO@usace.army.mil.

Contact Information

Regulatory Office
Building 230
Fort Shafter, HI  96858-5440
(808) 835-4303
CEPOH-RO@usace.army.mil 

Guam Field Office
Apra Harbor Naval Complex
PSC 455 Box 188
FPO, AP 96540-1088  Guam
(671) 339-2108 
CEPOH-RO@usace.army.mil