Multiple outlets report that a proposal to restore eroding Kaanapali Beach by redistributing offshore sand along the West Maui shoreline is progressing through Hawaii’s state permitting process. The project, backed by the Pilikahakai Foundation and Ka’anapali Operations Association, would return the beach to roughly its 1988 profile and is privately funded. The plan faces some community opposition alongside broad industry support.
- The project would dredge approximately 75,000 cubic yards of sand from offshore near Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock) and redistribute it along the shoreline from Keka’a to Hanaka’o’o Beach Park
- About 50,000 cubic yards would restore the historic beach footprint near Hanaka’o’o Beach Park, with 25,000 cubic yards used to build up the seasonal berm near Pu’u Keka’a
- The application has been filed with the state Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands; the project also requires a Special Management Area permit and a public hearing before the Maui Planning Commission
- If approved, construction could begin in fall 2027 (Dredgewire)
- Lead scientific consultant Chris Conger described the restoration as a midterm solution with a roughly 20-year lifespan and said managed retreat should be evaluated as a long-term strategy (Hawaii News Now)
- The project is entirely privately funded; organizers plan native plant dunes for stabilization and a full-time cultural monitor during construction (Hawaii News Now)
- Kaanapali Beach Resort generates approximately $3 billion annually in gross revenues and supports thousands of jobs, according to the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association (Dredgewire)
- Maui shoreline advocate Kai Nishiki called for managed retreat instead, comparing the level of community opposition to the Mauna Kea telescope protests (Hawaii News Now)
Sources
- Dredgewire: Kaanapali sand replenishment moves forward
- Hawaii News Now: Plan to rebuild popular Kaanapali Beach with offshore sand faces scrutiny
Share this article
