(BIVN) – The community will have the chance to hear from state and county officials on the future location of a boat ramp in the Puna district.

On Saturday, July 13, a public meeting will be held at Sacred Hearts Church in Pahoa from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The meeting is being organized by State Representative Joy San Buenaventura. Her office wrote:

Robert “Bob” Masuda of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources will take part in a community meeting Saturday, July 13 to discuss the Puna boat ramp study. State Representative Joy San Buenaventura will discuss the 2019 legislative funding for the boat ramp. County Council person Matt Kaneali’i-Kleinfelder and Director of Research & Development Diane Ley will be available to answer questions.

The 2018 lava disaster has closed the only boat ramp between Hilo and Miloli’i – a distance of more than 120 miles along the coast. Fish caught using the Puna boat ramp account for more than 30 percent of the fresh fish caught on the Big Island and its loss has meant higher fish prices statewide. Big Island fisherman need a Puna boat ramp to assure their continued livelihood and to financially recover from the 2018 disaster.

If you require a sign language interpreter please email your request for an interpreter to j.honda@capitol.hawaii.gov at least 48 hours prior to the meeting for arrangements. Prompt requests help to ensure the availability of appropriate accommodations.

On June 10, the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources identified an alternative location for a boat ramp in Puna. It would be expensive to recover the boat ramp at Pohoʻiki, an engineering report found. Instead, “Mālama Flats”, just south of McKenzie State Recreation Area, could be a reasonable alternative location. A Mālama Flats boat ramp comes with an estimated price tag of $14.5 million.