LAHAINA, Hawaii — Hawaii Wildfires Recovery Field Office Commander Col. Eric Swenson and Cory Koger, a debris subject matter expert, updated congressional representatives March 25, 2024, on the status of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers debris removal efforts underway in West Maui.
Hawaii Rep. Jill Tokuda hosted California Rep. Doug LaMalfa from March 25 to March 27 as part of the American Congressional Exchange program. ACE is an approach to building better relationships and bipartisanship in Congress away from Washington, D.C. One of the program's goals is that "a shared experience based on close personal interaction can bring Members of Congress together to take action on behalf of the American people."
After attending a dedication and blessing ceremony for the new, temporary King Kamehameha III Elementary School, installed by USACE contractors, Representatives LaMalfa and Tokuda met with Federal Emergency Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration and USACE members in the Lahaina impact area for an update brief and tour.
According to Swenson, a recovery of this magnitude is a huge undertaking and requires dedicated resources that only Congress can deliver with its support. It is incumbent on USACE and FEMA to help Maui County tell its story and highlight to legislators just how severe the damage is and the importance of rebuilding a more resilient community.
"Pictures and video clips are no substitute to walking the ground and experiencing the damage and recovery operations firsthand."
Both representatives serve on the Committee on Agriculture, and unfortunately, both have had devastating fire disasters in their districts. LaMalfa provided insight from his experiences with the 2018 Camp Fire, which almost completely destroyed the town of Paradise, California, and about the differences between the two fires. LaMalfa was also interested in the technical aspects of soil sampling and cleanup goals.
"I was very impressed with Rep. LaMalfa's questions and insight, which he offered from his experience in Paradise. It impressed upon me both the similarities and differences between two major wildfires that devastated communities in Hawai'i and California," said Swenson.
The RFO commander added though there were some differences in the response efforts, what was clear was that at-risk communities need to take precautions to mitigate fire risk, and when tragedy strikes on a large scale, the cleanup efforts are extensive and require a robust federal government response measured in federal aid and experts from around the federal family and non-governmental organizations.
Since August 8, 2023, Rep. Tokuda has regularly visited the impacted areas and attended meetings and events related to the wildfires. According to Swenson, she takes the time to check on the USACE recovery team and meet with USACE leaders. "She weekly reminds her colleagues in Washington that the residents of Maui require continuing federal support, which helps keep this FEMA-led operation funded. Federal funding is critical to getting Lahaina and Kula cleared of debris and ready for rebuilding."
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