Maui County Wetlands Overlay Mapping Project Fail
How could the consultants get this wrong? These two major wetland gulch stream systems are some of the most active and essential watershed features that deserve our protection. Known for their extreme flooding during storms, and historical importance. Why were they removed from the official wetlands overlay map? Did they cave to pressure from landowners or developers?
ACCORDING TO MAUI COUNTY: Quote, “Wetlands are important for the many benefits they provide us, such as clean air, greenhouse gas regulation, Flood protection, drought recovery, erosion control, soil formation, pollution control, regulation of hydrological Flows, species habitat, pollination, and food production. On November 5, 2021, the Maui County Council adopted a resolution to protect all wetlands in Maui County. The County Council’s intent stems from the fact that the federal Clean Water Act is not adequate to protect wetlands in the County, and neither does it reflect County-specific goals for protecting and enhancing environmental resilience by preserving environmentally sensitive ecosystems, such as wetlands. As such, in September 2022, Ordinance 5421, a new law was passed to restore and protect wetlands in the County; it amended titles 2, 18, and 19, Maui County Code (MCC), relating to wetlands restoration and protection. Per MCC 19.47, the County’s Planning Department is required to produce a wetland overlay map that shows the approximate location of wetlands and other waters in the County.”