Get ready for tsunami debris

More than 18 months ago, a horrendous convergence of natural and manmade disasters devastated Japan, first when a tsunami struck March 11, 2011, and then when the damage caused a cataclysmic meltdown at a nuclear power plant. The death toll, topping 15,000, was tragic, as was the radioactive contamination of a swath of communities.

The secondary effects of marine debris was anticipated a year ago. University of Hawaii scientists projected that this state would take a heavy hit from the flotsam, and yet it seems now there is a scramble to gather up the resources to deal with it, just as pieces of debris have started to show up.

The state must accelerate its response to the unfolding environmental and safety threat. So far state officials have assembled only the beginnings of a cleanup fund, and more resources will be needed.

William Aila is chairman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the lead agency handling marine debris problems in this case. He said Hawaii’s $50,000 share of a federal fund offered to five coastal states by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is part of the financial resources in hand. It will be matched with money that, by a lucky stroke, was in a DLNR special land use development fund, revenue paid by tenants on leased state lands.

And next legislative session, he said, he will be seeking $2 million to underwrite cleanup of debris, whether from Japan or another source. It’s a particular problem for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument encompassing the northwestern Hawaiian islands where, based on past episodes, removal of debris costs $200,000 to $800,000 per episode.

The state’s proactiveness has been meager. In the supplemental budget passed in the 2012 session, there was $10,000 appropriated to cover "costs for the mitigation of the anticipated arrival of debris" from the tsunami. The nominal sum — only $1,000 for plans, $1,000 for design and $8,000 for construction — clearly couldn’t be expected to buy much on its own, but it was "deemed necessary to qualify for federal aid financing and/or reimbursement," such as the NOAA grant.

Further, Aila said, DLNR is seeking help from the congressional delegation to secure additional funds, and they do need to step up to push for Hawaii’s interests here. Already Alaska is requesting $45 million in funding, so there will be stiff competition.

But the open question is: Will Hawaii be able to get ahead of this situation despite what seems to be a late start?

Yes, Aila said. He added that he believes the state and federal agencies have good coordination and response protocols in place through regular contacts, even without the preparation of formal plans such as those in development by other states.

That remains to be seen. The state was unable to intercept or confirm the condition of one major piece, a 50-foot-long floating dock fishermen spotted off Molokai. However, there have been no real mishaps: Items identified from Japan have shown no signs of exposure to the radiation that escaped from the Japanese power plant in the storm’s aftermath. And the state is consulting with its contacts in Japan and in federal agencies to identify the latest "visitor": a circular yellow metal container, about 10 feet high and 20 feet in diameter, which washed up on the lava shoreline south of Naalehu, Hawaii island.

Still, there’s room for improvement in public education and outreach. DLNR counts on press releases to relay the phone number the public should call if they spot marine debris: 587-0400, which connects to Aila’s office and then is referred to his cell after hours. By comparison, in its debris response plan, Washington state officials have defined a detailed communications and outreach procedure, among other elements of response. The plan is still being refined, a spokeswoman said.

It’s impossible to say whether having a written plan will make the difference here, but it wouldn’t hurt. The prospect of a marked increase in trash on Hawaii’s shores — large or small, radioactive or not — poses an environmental and economic challenge that could get out of hand. It’s not too late to sharpen Hawaii’s preparedness for what awaits in the months, and even years, ahead.