Gov. Green announces two Major Disaster Declaration approvals to help Hawaiʻi recover

Gov. Josh Green says the U.S. President has approved two Major Disaster Declarations for Hawaiʻi after damaging hurricanes in August and September. The approvals unlock FEMA Public Assistance funding on a 75%-25% cost-sharing basis for recovery efforts in the city and county of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi County and Maui County tied to Hurricane Lala (Aug. 14-16, 2026). A second declaration covers impacts from Hurricane Lowell for Kauaʻi and Maui Counties (Sept. 6-9, 2026). Green requested expedited review on Sept. 9. Earlier, he obtained a Presidential Emergency Declaration after Hurricane Lala was granted Aug. 25. FEMA Public Assistance supports debris removal, restoration and mitigation for public facilities and eligible nonprofits; requests for more help are pending.