VIDEO: Biden commits $95M to ‘harden’ Maui’s electrical grid
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on recovery efforts for the Maui wildfires and the response to Hurricane Idalia, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House today in Washington. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, left, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell stand behind Biden.
UPDATE: 9:45 a.m.
President Joe Biden said today that the federal government will spend $95 million to upgrade Maui’s electrical grid in the aftermath of the devastating Aug. 8 firestorm that destroyed Lahaina.
Speaking from the White House about Maui and Hurricane Idalia, which is hammering the southeastern United States, Biden said the $95 million will be used to “harden” Maui’s electrical system, including burying power lines when possible, installing smart meters, and replacing old, wooden poles with steel poles.
The president also said the federal government has already committed $24 million for hazardous waste removal, and he pledged $400 million in federal funding for debris removal.
“The federal government is paying for that. The state is not paying for that,” Biden said. “We’re not walking away.”
Biden, who visited West Maui on Aug. 21 with first lady Jill Biden, said he was impressed by the resilience and aloha spirit of Maui’s residents. As he said while on Maui, Biden repeated today that Maui’s people were turning “pain into purpose, keeping the faith.”
The recovery effort is “going to be frustrating as the devil for people,” Biden said. “It’s really tough.”
He also cautioned that the recovery might be slow. “I want to be clear with the people of Maui about what to expect. The work we’re doing is going to take time,” Biden said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
President Joe Biden delivered remarks at a briefing this morning to give the latest updates on the whole-of-government response and recovery efforts on Maui and the ongoing response from the federal government to Hurricane Idalia.
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Watch the livestream video above.
