Environmental Assessment required for Pohoiki Road Projects
Environmental Assessment required for Pohoiki Road Projects
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has informed the County of
Hawai‘i that an Environmental Assessment is required for the restoration of Pohoiki Road.
The decision by FEMA follows multiple rounds of discussion with the County regarding
how the upper road restoration project relates to a planned realignment of the lower portion of
Pohoiki Road, with the latter being considered an alternate project. Both are supported by a
FEMA Public Assistance grant following the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.
“While FEMA began its review of the road restoration project by itself late last year, the
process has evolved to both Pohoiki Road projects being looked at together and an
Environmental Assessment being required as part of the federal agency’s Environmental and
Historic Preservation (EHP) review process,” said Douglas Le, the County’s Disaster Recovery
Officer.
FEMA accepted final design for the upper Pohoiki Road restoration project in October
2020 and began its EHP review process for the project in December 2020. The Scope of Work
for the lower Pohoiki Road realignment was submitted in March in response to information
requests from FEMA’s review team. Design for the alternate project is about 30% complete.
FEMA says the additional assessment will take about six months for it to complete and
that it is working to start the process as soon as possible. The Environmental Assessment will
address both Pohoiki Road projects plus the possibility of water service being restored down
Pohoiki Road to Isaac Hale Beach Park.
The County most recently anticipated receiving FEMA approval to begin construction on
the road restoration project in October 2021. Timelines will be updated as more information is
available; however, tentatively, the County anticipates the Environmental Assessment being
completed in early 2022 followed by a notice to proceed and construction starting in mid-2022.
“The Department of Public Works and Disaster Recovery Division under the Planning
Department have worked closely with FEMA to identify ways to expedite the review process for
infrastructure restoration following the 2018 eruption,” said Public Works Director Ikaika
Rodenhurst. “That includes receiving FEMA approval last year to submit individual restoration
projects for review as recovery decisions are made.
“The restoration of Pohoiki Road, and other road projects such as Highway 137, remain a
priority, and we will continue to work with our federal partners to find ways to streamline these
processes while meeting regulatory requirements.”
In total, the 2018 eruption inundated about 13 miles of public roads, including 2.4 miles
of Pohoiki Road. FEMA approved a $61.5 million Public Assistance grant in March 2020 to
cover 75% of the anticipated damage estimate to the affected public roads, not including
Highway 132 that was restored with Federal Highway Administration funding in 2019.
The lower Pohoiki Road realignment is supported by the FEMA grant as an alternate
project as that section wasn’t inundated during the eruption. The project involves straightening
the lower portion of the road to provide safe two-way access while protecting historic mango
trees on that route.
Pohoiki Road Restoration Timeline
July 2018-October 2019: Damage to FEMA-eligible roads documented by County
Department of Public Works (DPW), Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA), and FEMA.
October 2019-February 2020: DPW, HI-EMA, and FEMA work to reach a fixed cost
agreement on road restoration, with a third-party review by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
December 2019: DPW submits plans to FEMA.
March 2020: Cost agreement between County and FEMA announced that identified
about $82 million worth of damage to public roads from the eruption, not including
Highway 132. Federal share is about $61.5 million, or 75%, with the County’s share at
25%, or about $20.5 million. FEMA’s funds are provided on a reimbursement basis.
April 2020: DPW requests Scopes of Work for restoration projects be submitted
individually as decisions are made. Without this approval, DPW was required to provide
FEMA with detailed information on how it would use the entire grant amount before
FEMA would begin its environmental review of proposed restoration projects.
July 2020: FEMA approves DPW’s request.
October 2020: Final design for upper Pohoiki Road Restoration accepted by FEMA.
December 2020: Project begins Environmental and Historic Preservation review under
FEMA.
March 2021: Lower Pohoiki Road realignment Scope of Work submitted to FEMA in
response to information requests from FEMA team reviewing restoration project.
August 2021: FEMA confirms that Environmental Assessment needed for upper Pohoiki
Road restoration and lower Pohoiki Road realignment
