The Disaster Recovery, International Affairs and Planning Committee of the Maui County Council on Oct. 22 recommended adoption of Resolution 25-174 (CD1), the County of Maui 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan update, to ensure the county meets a Nov. 19, 2025 deadline to retain eligibility for federal hazard-mitigation funding and certain National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) benefits.

The 2025 update replaces the last plan that took effect Nov. 19, 2020, and — if adopted by the full council and accepted by FEMA — would guide mitigation investments across Maui County for the next five years. "Once approved by the county and FEMA, this plan will unlock access to federal mitigation funding and guide resilience investments for the next 5 years," said Amos Lonokeilua Hewitt, administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

Committee members and MEMA staff described the update as a multi-agency, public process that began in December 2024 and included virtual and in-person meetings, surveys and a public-comment period. Christopher Wegner, MEMA hazard-mitigation grant specialist, summarized outreach and technical steps, saying the draft was posted publicly, three island public meetings were held in Wailuku, Kihei and Pukalani, and a 14-day comment period yielded 22 comments that were reviewed and addressed in the plan appendices.

Why it matters: FEMA requires counties to maintain a current hazard mitigation plan for eligibility in certain grant programs, and the update affects the county's participation and discounts under the NFIP's Community Rating System (CRS). MEMA staff said Maui County's current CRS score is 7; a lower numeric score yields larger flood-insurance discounts. Committee members pressed MEMA on how mitigation actions and county projects could improve that score and on the timing to meet the Nov. 19 deadline.

Key points from the committee discussion

- Scope and public input: MEMA staff told the committee the plan was developed with more than 25 partner organizations and cross-referenced other county and state planning documents, including the general plan and climate action plan. Staff said the update removed some outdated hazard entries, added climate-change impact analysis for each hazard in the current draft, and integrated lessons from the 2023 Maui wildfires.

- FEMA guidance on climate change: Christopher Wegner told the committee that, for future iterations and grant applications, FEMA guidance is constraining references to climate change. "FEMA guideline now ... would prefer counties and mandate counties to leave any mention of climate change out of all of our analysis and policies going forward," Wegner said to the committee, adding that certain social-vulnerability variables may also be excluded from future cost-benefit analyses used for grant decisions. Several members expressed concern that removing climate-change language could limit eligibility for future federal funding and shift costs to local taxpayers.

- Wildfire mitigation and projects: MEMA said wildfire risk reduction is a county priority. Hewitt described in-progress projects, including the Okumehame project (reported as largely complete) and a county role in public-land risk reduction. He also described a post-fire battery-neutralization and disposal effort — referred to in the discussion as the "Maui Method" — developed after the 2023 fires and coordinated with federal partners. The committee and staff discussed using state and federal funds and private partners for fuel breaks and other wildfire-reduction work.

- Community resilience and business partnerships: MEMA staff described plans to expand community resilience hubs and to organize a "business network" to coordinate private-sector resources in disasters. Members suggested engaging the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association and other large employers as part of that network.

- Outreach gaps and technical corrections: Several members raised concerns that the county did not hold public meetings on the outer islands (Lanai and Molokai) for this update and that some maps and tables contain technical errors (one member noted a mismatch on a tsunami hazard map). Committee staff inserted a whereas clause in the substitute (CD1) acknowledging insufficient time to review and correct all technical issues before the council deadline; the document was characterized as a "living" plan that MEMA can amend for non-substantive technical fixes after initial adoption.

Vote and motions

The committee moved to recommend adoption of Resolution 25-174 (CD1) as amended. The substitute (CD1) amends the resolution's title, inserts a whereas clause about the plan expiration and adoption deadline, and adds a clause acknowledging limited time for technical review. The motion to substitute and the main motion as amended passed on an 8-0 vote with one member excused. The substitution was moved by committee vice chair Nohe'u'u Hudgins and seconded by member Yukile Sugimura; the committee tally reported 8 ayes, 0 nos, 1 excused.

What remains: If the full County Council adopts the resolution and submits the plan to FEMA, MEMA staff said they will continue to correct technical errors, post amendments, and pursue mitigation grant opportunities. Committee members asked staff to follow up on several specific items: (1) how to improve the county's CRS score and the flood-insurance discount for residents; (2) outreach strategies for Lanai and Molokai; (3) the role of HECO and HDOT technologies in hazard detection; and (4) how post-fire hazard mitigation funds will be used to establish fuel breaks and address vegetation along rights-of-way.

The committee noted the update is necessary to preserve federal mitigation and flood-insurance program eligibility and that MEMA will seek grants, expand staffing for grant writing, and continue community outreach to implement mitigation strategies.