Improvements, but no lifeguards, come to Kekaha Kai

HILO — The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has reissued a finding of no significant environmental impact for the second phase of improvements to Kekaha Kai State Park.

Kekaha Kai State Park encompasses 1,642 coastal acres in Kona. The park was envisioned as one jewel in a string of parks along this coast, a low-key park to preserve the natural landscape of the shoreline.

But one major component of park improvements — adding lifeguards to the increasingly popular but risky Kua Bay — remains unsettled. Despite a 2015 resolution by the County Council seeking to appropriate $200,000 a year, the state Legislature has not yet appropriated money for lifeguards at what is also known as Maniniowali Beach, the northernmost beach in the Kekaha Kai chain, which also includes Mahaiula and Makalawena.

North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff and state Rep. Cindy Evans, a Democrat who represents the area, have both vowed to keep working to get lifeguards at the beach.

“I am glad to see that the state is moving forward with the improvements and that the improvements fit with the low-key, passive nature of the park. Along with the growth in Kona, our community held strong to the vision of an open coastline — to preserve the natural and cultural resources and provide access to the public,” said Eoff, who’s fought for decades to preserve the North Kona coastline.

“The proposed improvements for Kekaha Kai State Park will enhance the park and provide both residents and visitors a safe and healthy place to enjoy fishing, surfing, gathering and outdoor family recreation,” Eoff added.

There are three lifeguard stands along the coast, Evans said Monday. One of the problems she’s been having trying to get another is compiling statistics to help support her case at the Legislature, she said.

The Hawaii Fire Department keeps statistics on swimmers who die or are taken to emergency rooms. But there’s no count of casualties who are treated at the scene or rescued by Good Samaritans before the rescue personnel can respond, she said.

“The problem exists, but it’s hard to get statistics to back it up,” Evans said. “The community wants it and we’re certainly going to pursue it.”

The lifeguards are county employees who are funded by the state. Evans said three new lifeguards would be ideal, because they could fill in for other lifeguards when they’re on sick leave or on vacation. Currently, lifeguard stands face shortened hours of operation when a lifeguard is out.

“Funding from the state Legislature for lifeguards at Kua Bay fell short this past session, but I will continue to work with our state representatives and county fire department to support these efforts through County Council initiatives,” Eoff said.

The FONSI finding, released Saturday, says a full environmental impact statement isn’t needed because of the minor nature of the expected improvements. The state Office of Environmental Quality Control had to reissue the report after discovering its 2015 report was issued without getting approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

DLNR’s Division of State Parks plans to continue minor repair and safety improvements to roadways and parking, a stairway to replace a dilapidated ramp, a new storage and water tank building to provide water for cleaning and maintenance, provision of two showers, several new or refurbished handicapped accessible picnic tables and BBQ pits and miscellaneous other features and actions, according to the report.

The project’s estimated to cost about $1.03 million.

The 186-page document is at https://oeqc.doh.hawaii.gov/Shared%20Documents/EA_and_EIS_Online_Library/Hawaii/2010s/2016-10-08-HA-5B-FEA-Kekaha-Kai-State-Park-Phase-II-Improvements.pdf

Kekaha Kai State Park has an annual visitation of 235,700. It is estimated that 57 percent of park visitors are from out of state and the other 43 percent are Hawaii residents.