Erosion urgency mounts

At this point, even climate-change doubters should be seeing the need to take coastal erosion in our island state seriously, and to start planning mitigations.

The latest evidence of the approaching sandstorm is an eye-opening new study by University of Hawaii researchers: a full one-third of Hawaii’s shorelines are moderately or highly vulnerable to coastal hazards as sea level rise intensify waves and storms that hit our islands’ coasts.

Oahu’s highest-risk zones are at the North Shore from Haleiwa to Kahuku, which are exposed to high wave energy; and Ewa Beach, where low elevation and little reef protection make it vulnerable to sea level rise. Other at-risk areas include stretches of Kailua, Waimanalo and Waianae.

The study, whose primary author is Yaprak Onat of the UH’s Department of Ocean Resources and Engineering, comes at the heels of other recent sobering reports — such as the Hawaii Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report, which warned that a 3.2-feet sea level rise by mid- to latter-century could result in $12.9 billion in economic losses and displace 13,300 residents on Oahu.

These studies are academically projecting what residents are starting to see in real time: beach houses at Sunset Beach on the brink as high waves pound away at the structures’ sandy foundation; sand depletion on the far end of Waikiki’s Kuhio Beach; portions of Kamehameha Highway from Kualoa toward the North Shore, including Kaaawa and Hauula, losing chunks of pavement and holes appearing along the road’s edge.

Clearly, existing structures will need to find new ways to cope — and that means relocation, retrofitting for resiliency or eventual surrender to Mother Nature. The new coastal hazards report is expected to inform other crucial studies, such as one now underway for the state Department of Transportation looking at risks to coastal roads statewide.

Hawaii officials have a bad habit of producing myriad studies, but little action. Policymakers need to strategize now. The future is here, and it’s crashing onto our shores.

Tough to reconcile pot laws

Though medical marijuana is legal in Hawaii, and recreational marijuana is legal in some states, pot is still illegal in the eyes of federal law. And that presents ongoing conflict.

The latest flashpoint here was reported this week, when workers’ comp insurer HEMIC rescinded its reimbursement approval for a patient using medical marijuana for various ailments.

“HEMIC does not reimburse for medical cannabis for workers’ compensation claimants,” the insurer explained in rescinding its June 4 approval 21 days later. “The medical fee schedule under Hawaii’s workers’ compensation law follows the Federal Medicare fee schedule, which affords no reimbursement for medical cannabis.”

It’s not at all surprising that insurers choose to stay on the side of caution. After all, the federal-state disconnect isn’t the only incongruity; there’s also the emerging intra-federal disconnect between the Federal Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Just last month, in a decision that could have sweeping effects on the marijuana industry, the FDA approved Epidiolex (cannabidiol), the first pot-derived drug for use in the U.S., to treat two rare forms of epilepsy.

But here’s the conflict: the DEA currently classifies cannabidiol (“CBD”) as a Schedule I controlled substance — having no accepted medical use, so illegal for all uses in the U.S. At the very least, reclassifying CBD from Schedule I to a lower category makes sense; it hardly seems to be in the same harmful class as other Schedule I drugs, such as heroin and LSD.

Take air out of ‘floatilla’

It’s telling that even with more than 400 people in need of rescuing during Wednesday’s annual July Fourth “floatilla” off Waikiki — total turnout was estimated at 500-600 — officials still called it a “tame” celebration overall.

Everything’s relative, right? Consider that last year, the number of liquored-up ocean revelers was estimated at over 1,000 — with more than 20 teens or young adults needing medical treatment, and 10 of them seriously hurt and taken to hospitals. So it’s a relief that this year, the partying was more controlled. Still, 400-plus in need of rescue is a hefty number — not to mention how the calls of nature are handled— so let’s hope that a stronger don’t-drink-and-swim message shrinks the event even more next summer.

On Wednesday, the large presence of sea-and-safety officials from the city, state and federal governments helped keep things safe. It takes a village, apparently, to keep young people from putting themselves in harm’s way. God Bless America.