State plans to hasten
process to replace sand

New, quicker permits combine
state and federal approvals

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By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com

WAILUKU >> The state Department of Land & Natural Resources is planning to speed up review of sand replenishment requests for beaches that have lost sand.

New, quicker permits would not exceed 10,000 cubic yards of sand per project, and the state would ideally take about three months to process the request, said Sam Lemmo, Land Division senior planner.

A recent sand replenishment project in South Maui took about two years to receive state, federal and county permits.

The new process allows the applicant to seek state and federal approvals under a single permit and for the review to take place simultaneously. The applicant still would have to obtain county approvals separately.

Under the former system, state and federal officials processed several permits separately about using sand to replenish a shoreline.

The reviewers include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, state Department of Health water quality officials and state Land Board members.

Army Corps spokesman Doug MaKitten said the intent is to quicken the review process, and he sees no problem working with the state on the sand replenishment procedure.

Lemmo said state officials will monitor the impact of the select projects on nearby reefs.

The monitoring would be similar to a sand replenishment project scheduled for April in front of the Kanai A Nalu condominium in Maalaea.

Lemmo said the new permit process will begin within the next two months.