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Maui County has agreed to pay $4 million for roughly 79 acres in central Maui to be used as a permanent disposal site for the debris from last year’s deadly wildfires plus provide for a future landfill expansion.

The deal quadruples the amount of land being used for the landfill compared with a previous acquisition attempt by Mayor Richard Bissen’s administration. The purchase price also rose nearly fivefold.

Bissen said that the county entered into conditional agreements with a subsidiary of the Honolulu-based construction company Nan Inc. to purchase nearly 49 acres of previously quarried land plus 30 acres being quarried in Puunene. The 30 acres would be available after the dredging is complete.

“The acquisition of these properties enables us to secure a final disposal site for the wildfire debris and also provides years of additional landfill capacity, strengthening our community’s resilience,” Bissen said, calling it a “a significant step toward enhancing Maui’s management capacity.”

If approved by the County Council, the agreement will resolve an often contentious effort to find a permanent location for some 400,000 tons of ash and debris that was cleared after the Aug. 8, 2023, fire that destroyed much of Lahaina, burning an estimated 2,200 structures and leaving at least 102 people dead.

The county had previously tried to purchase a 20-acre parcel next to the landfill to relocate the wildfire debris, which is temporarily being stored in an environmentally sensitive area in Olowalu. After failed negotiations, the County Council, by request of the administration, authorized an eminent domain process against landowner Komar Maui Properties.

In July, a federal judge denied the county’s motion for an order of possession on the Komar property and set a jury trial date for September 2025. The county said it will no longer pursue the eminent domain case if the agreement with Nan Inc. is finalized, according to the news release.

The county had been willing to pay Komar the appraised value of $830,000 in the eminent domain process. This new property will put a $4 million dent in the county’s budget.

 “We are grateful for Nan, Inc.’s willingness to offer the land at a fair price, helping us address pressing recovery needs and meet the long-term needs of our island and its people.” Bissen said.

The Maui County Council needs to approve the purchase. Council Chair Alice Lee, however, said she expects the council to be very supportive of it, to the point of bypassing usual steps.  

Generally, she said, the council would send such a proposal to a committee to be discussed in detail.

“But more than likely we’ll pass this on the floor after asking the administration some clarifying questions,” Lee said.

She added the council is “very familiar” with the subject and recognizes an urgency to acquire the property so the county can prepare it to relocate the debris from Olowalu.

The debris taken to Olowalu, Lee said, was wrapped in bundles, making it easier to move around.

Environmental Concerns: Some wanted fire debris shipped to the mainland.

It could take another six months for the new site in Central Maui to be ready to receive the debris from Olowalu, according to Lee. But other estimates say the process could take a year.

“It’s just a big area right now. It has to be constructed to take this incredible load,” Lee said.

The issue is already on the . Lee said if the purchase is approved on first reading, the council will set a second and final reading at its next meeting, meaning the whole process could take as little as three weeks.

“As soon as the mayor signs it, it takes effect as law,” she said.

The county Environmental Management Department is already preparing to start the design and construction of the disaster debris site, according to county officials.

Environmental Management Director Shayne Agawa said in the release the land will provide the county “decades of potential landfill capacity.” Additionally, he said, the extra acreage will allow the county to enhance recycling, composting and waste-to-energy programs, supporting the goal of diverting more waste from the landfill.

Property owner Nan Chul Shin said in the release his business, the state’s largest locally owned construction company, recognizes the importance of this property for Maui’s recovery efforts. He also praised the current tenant for cooperating with the county’s efforts.

The county’s communication team told Civil Beat debris from Lahaina will continue to be taken to Olowalu until a permanent disposal site has been prepared to begin accepting it.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.