According to the state, the beach restoration project will begin when the necessary permits and approvals are obtained, and a construction contract is awarded, currently estimated for Fall 2022. The work period is estimated to be 63 to 75 days. PHOTO FROM THE FINAL EIS.

KAANAPALI — The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a $9 million to $13 million beach restoration and berm enhancement project at Kaanapali Beach has been submitted to Gov. David Ige for approval.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources partnered with the Kaanapali Operations Association in the preparation of the EIS.

The EIS Project Summary notes, “Kā’anapali Beach has been negatively impacted by chronic erosion and extreme seasonal erosion over the previous four decades.

“The rate and severity of damage has accelerated likely due to sea level rise and recent record high water levels. Sand loss from the natural beach systems, or littoral cells, is expected to continue and likely accelerate with sea level rise.”

Beach restoration to the approximate condition of the 1988 shoreline is proposed for the section of Kaanapali Beach between Hanakao’o Beach Park and Hanakao’o Point.

Beach berm enhancement, which would raise the elevation of the dry beach by 3.5 feet, is proposed for the section between Hanakao’o Point and Pu’u Keka’a.

The approximately 75,000 cubic yards of sand needed for the proposed project would be recovered from an 8.5-acre sand deposit located approximately 150 feet offshore of Pu’u Keka’a in 28 to 56 feet water depth.

The proposed sand recovery method consists of a moored crane barge equipped with a clamshell bucket.

Barges would be rotating between the sand deposit and two off-loading sites, where the barges would be moored to an elevated trestle or floating bridge to shore. The sand would be transferred to shore along the trestle or bridge system. Land-based equipment would then transfer the sand from the shoreline to the placement area, where crews would spread sand along the shoreline.

Prepared by Sea Engineering Inc., the Final EIS is available for review through the state Environmental Review Program (formerly the Office of Environmental Quality Control) website at https://planning.hawaii.gov/erp/.