(BIVN) – A Draft Environmental Assessment for site improvements at Isaac Kepo‘okalani Hale Beach Park in Pohoiki was published in the September 23 issue of The Environmental Notice.
The 387-page document details the Hawaiʻi County proposal to restore the popular Puna beach park infrastructure and facilities following the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea, which inundated a portion of the shoreline park with lava.
During the eruption, the water line to the park was damaged, and the park has been closed for camping ever since. The document notes that no new beach parks have been developed along the Puna coastline to replace inundated recreational resource areas.
“The County installed a temporary water tank and portable toilets for park patrons to use after lava flows destroyed a significant portion of the municipal water line serving the park and surrounding parcels,” a document summary states. “The County’s project will replace on-site utilities and restore the existing comfort station to full functionality.”
Planned for the park is “an administration building (for park security and ocean safety functions), an open pavilion (for community gatherings), and several picnic shelters (for small gatherings)”, which are illustrated in the draft EA.
From the Draft EA:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) enables communities to respond and recover from major disasters or emergencies and awards federal funding through its Public Assistance program. FEMA has obligated disaster funding to Hawaiʻi County for its projects (e.g., repairs to Pohoiki Road, water infrastructure, and park facilities).
The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Parks and Recreation has currently allocated approximately $3.1 million of disaster recovery funds for site improvements that restore and enhance park infrastructure and facilities in consideration of the recommendations of the Revitalize Pohoiki plan (2022) as they apply to the Department’s jurisdiction and responsibilities. The published Revitalize Pohoiki plan was created with community input to guide improvements at Isaac Kepo‘okalani Hale Beach Park, aiming to enhance usability and utility for the community. The plan identifies the following desired amenities: a pavilion, covered or shaded gathering areas, picnic tables on concrete pads, accessible paths, a paved parking area, camping areas, and an administration building (see Appendix A for the Site Plan). The County’s disaster recovery funds allocated for Isaac Kepo‘okalani Hale Beach Park improvements include the recovery funding received for ʻAhalanui Beach Park due to the impracticality of its redevelopment (County of Hawaiʻi, 2022). The restoration of water service to Isaac Kepo‘okalani Hale Beach Park would be accomplished by the County’s Department of Water Supply as a separate action with its disaster funding allocation.
The EA consultant is the Limtiaco Consulting Group. The statutory 30-day public review and comment period is underweay, with comments due by October 23, 2026. Comments can be sent to the consultant, at alysse@tlcghawaii.com.
