President approves 100% federal support for Maui wildfire debris removal

Governor Josh Green, M.D., today announced that President Joseph Biden has approved an amendment to the cost share adjustment for the State of Hawaiʻi under major disaster declaration FEMA-4724-DR. This order reflects an amendment of the original Major Disaster Declaration requested by Governor Green and signed by the President on Aug. 10, 2023. 

Under the President’s order today, federal funds for debris removal are authorized at 100% of the total eligible costs for a continuous 180-day period of the state’s choosing within the first nine months from the start of the incident period, and federal funds for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, are authorized at 100% of the total eligible costs for a continuous 90-day period of the state’s choosing within the first six months from the start of the incident period. 

“President Biden’s support, in response to our constant communication with him and his team, as well as requests from Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation, shows just how steadfast he is in his desire to stand alongside the people of Maui and help in their recovery,” said Gov. Green. 

“This is a significant amount of money. By covering the full cost of debris removal for at least six months, the federal government will help the state and county save hundreds of millions of dollars,” said US Senator Brian Schatz. “We will keep working as hard as we can to help to bring more federal resources for Lahaina’s recovery.”