HILO — The governor’s office has estimated that nearly $5 million has been spent on Kilauea eruption relief efforts so far.
In the presidential disaster declaration request Gov. David Ige signed yesterday, a summary of estimated expenditures since the eruption began estimates that $4,888,000 has gone toward relief.
Cindy McMillan, communications director for Ige’s office, said the purpose of the summary was to prove that the disaster has cost more than the $1.9 million threshold required for federal assistance.
The majority of the estimated costs were attributed to the approximately $1.6 million by the county Department of Public Works, $1.4 million of which was spent on roads and bridges.
Other significant expenditures included the $500,000 spent on the deployment of some 75 National Guard troops and the $300,000 spent by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Hawaii County Civil Defense, the Fire Department and Police Department are all estimated to have spent $200,000.
The remaining expenditures included an estimated $150,000 by the Department of Parks and Recreation; $100,000 by the Department of Water Supply, spent on water control facilities, according to the summary; $120,000 by the state Department of Health; and $5,000 each by the state Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
The summary also establishes an expiration date for any federal assistance on Oct. 3 of this year.
McMillan said the Trump administration approved Ige’s disaster declaration request regarding storms and flooding on Oahu and Kauai within a week of receiving it. In the meantime, she said, FEMA teams on the Big Island and Oahu are working closely with state and county officials to assess the situation.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
