Fifty-four trucks and cars, many inoperable, will be towed from the state’s Kahului Harbor on May 6, state officials announced. A team from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, and officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement placed notices on each of the vehicles on Monday.
The notices warn owners that their car or truck is parked illegally in a state boating facility, which is a violation of one or more laws under Hawai‘i Administrative Rules. During yesterday’s posting, 27 people were also advised that the state and a contractor would be cleaning up the harbor on May 2 and 3.
The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation fuel system vendor for Lahaina Small Boat Harbor, is in the process of rebuilding the fire-damaged, above-ground portion of the fueling system at no cost to the state. It will probably three years before everything is finished. Until the harbor is out of the restricted zone, no one can reach it by land.
At the start of 2024, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources implemented an Ocean Stewardship Fee Program to help fund projects to protect marine resources. The Aloha I Ke Kai program collects a one dollar fee from passengers and customers that board boats with commercial use permits.