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Maui studying safety,
economic benefits of
flood planning

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By Gary Kubota
Star-Bulletin

WAILUKU -- Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana says planning and preparation will reduce the impact of major flood disasters in the county and cut insurance premiums.

Apana is using federal funds to pay for a study of flood hazards. He said he hopes to eventually implement measures that will reduce flood premiums by as much as 15 percent and save homeowners and businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Besides receiving a comprehensive mitigation strategy, our residents can directly benefit from this process ..." Apana said.

Some of the potential measures include retrofitting older structures and identifying natural disaster hazards in Maui County.

Disaster experts say Maui homeowners and businesses pay more than $2.79 million annually in flood insurance premiums covering some 10,854 policies.

The flood hazard and tsunami inundation zones cover most areas along the shoreline on the Valley Isle, including more than 200 hotels and condominiums in south and west Maui.

In Maui County, flood insurance coverage is required for new construction and substantial improvements to old structures, but it is not mandatory for structures built before 1981.

Disaster expert Pam Pogue said mitigation measures are more important than ever because the federal government is reducing the percentage of disaster relief to victims.

Working with county and state officials such as the Pacific Disaster Center in Kihei, Pogue is conducting a disaster study of Maui funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

During a meeting last night in the Maui Council Chambers in Wailuku, Pogue emphasized the importance of knowing the location of the elderly, handicapped and low-income people before an emergency.

Pogue also spoke about the need to develop public policies that discourage extensive development in tsunami inundation zones and recommended eventually moving the Maui Electric power plant and the county's wastewater treatment plant in Kahului to higher ground.

Pogue, asked to conduct the study by the Apana administration, said she was developing an assessment of flooding, tsunamis and hurricanes on the Valley Isle - actions that in part would help to probably reduce premiums by 15 percent.

She plans to present her recommendations for proposed mitigative measures at a public meeting on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers.