FULL SENATE APPROVES OVER $21 MILLION FOR HAWAII INTERIOR AND ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS

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FULL SENATE APPROVES OVER $21 MILLION FOR
HAWAII INTERIOR AND ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 17, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel K. Inouye announced today that the full Senate has approved over $21 million for Hawaii-related projects in the Fiscal Year 2010 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

The bill passed by a vote of 77 to 21.

Projects receiving funding include the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, which willreceive $7.4 million to complete the expansion of the Refuge for wildlife and habitat protection and mitigate some of the flooding issues with nearby Kahuku Town. The Recovery of Native Hawaiian Birds program will receive $3 million so that the Fish and Wildlife Service can develop a comprehensive strategy to begin recovering endangered and threatened bird species.

"Our beaches and rainforests and wildlife are a big part of what makes Hawaii synonamous with paradise," said Chairman Inouye. "Protecting our environment and preserving our native and indigenous species is a vital part of ensuring that Hawaii's natural beauty endures for generations to come."

“Hawaii’s fragile environment is our kuleana, and this bill provides critical funding to fight invasive species, save our native forests, and protect our drinking water. Both kamaaina and visitors will benefit from preservation efforts at Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, and Bishop Museum,” said Senator Daniel K. Akaka.

The bill now faces a joint House-Senate Conference and final approval by the Senate and House, before it is transmitted to the White House. Details of initiatives approved by the Senate are as follows:

James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge $7,400,0000
This funding will allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to acquire remaining parcels (to a total of approximately 1,100 acres) on Oahu’s northern shore to complete the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge as a natural coastal dune and wetland ecosystem.

Hawaii Forest Research Facility $2,500,000
The Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-574) authorized the establishment of the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest “to serve as a center for long-term research and a focal point for developing and transferring knowledge and expertise for the management of tropical landscapes.” Working with the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest (HETF) has been selected as one of the National Science Foundation’s 20 Core Wildland Sites of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), a 30-year science program. These funds will continue to help build the research facility field station and education center.

Recovery of Native Hawaiian Birds $3,000,000
Earlier this year a report came out entitled The State of the Birds United States of America 2009, Hawaii had the highest percentage of species that were federally threatened or endangered in fact more than one third of all U.S. listed bird species occur in Hawaii and 71 bird species have gone extinct since 300 A.D. According to the report at least 10 more birds have not been seen in as long as 40 years and may very well be extinct. The Fish & Wildlife Service will use this funding to develop a comprehensive strategy, hire staff, and begin on the ground projects to recover endangered and threatened bird species.

Hawaii Invasive Species Program $1,250,000
These funds will be used to aid the State of Hawaii in reducing the impact of established invasive species in the State of Hawai‘i and support on-going efforts to prevent future invasive species introductions.

Invasive Rat Eradication on Palmyra $1,200,000
Palmyra’s coral reefs harbor more coral species than the Florida Keys or Hawai‘i, and encompass one of the few remaining intact reef ecosystems in the world. Eradication of invasive rats is the top management priority on the Refuge and requires decisive action that will eliminate all rats in a single coordinated management action. Efforts to control rats over time or in intermittent management actions are ineffective and do not get ahead of the pest’s reproductive capacity. Rat eradication will significantly improve Palmyra’s habitat for protected seabird species.

Kilauea Point Lighthouse Repair $1,000,000
This funding would provide a federal match for private funding donated to restore the historic Kilauea Point Lighthouse Station in partnership with the Kilauea Point Natural History Association. Completed in 1913, the station is the only intact lighthouse station remaining in Hawaii. In order to preserve this destination site the goal of the project is to restore and preserve these structures to their historic character from 1913 to 1927.

United States Geological Survey $600,000
The funding is for a multidisciplinary process-oriented program of watershed hydrology and ecosystems in Hawaii to provide scientific information to resource managers on tropical islands. Many watersheds and coastal areas are threatened by human impacts. The program will address the relationship between watershed health and groundwater recharge and stream flow. It will also focus on problems such as watershed degradation, erosion and sediment transport, and establishing a link between watershed management and the degradation of coral reefs from terrestrial sediment, and global climate change.

National Tropical Botanical Garden $500,000
These funds will help the National Tropic Botanical Garden in their conservation efforts. NTBG works with State and Federal agencies to implement emergency actions to perpetuate exceptionally rare species and prevent them from going extinct (Hawaii has over 230 plant species on the verge of extinction). NTBG’s “intensive care” nursery is used to propagate and grow the plants brought in by field collectors. NTBG’s restoration projects are a critical link in NTBG’s overall conservation strategy as they provide a “safe-harbor” plant-community that rare species can be planted into.

Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory $250,000
These funds will be used to initiate and support a USGS cooperative agreement with UH Mānoa’s School of Ocean, Earth, and Space Technology. These funds will provide continuity of application of critically needed expertise at UHM to the HVO mission, including seismology, geodesy, infrasound, explosive eruption hazard assessment, lava flow modeling, remote sensing, gas geochemistry, and experimentation with new monitoring technologies. Funding will support UHM graduate students, inter-island travel, and UHM faculty time.

Hawaii Well Monitoring Program $500,000
These funds will be used to continue work with stakeholders in Hawaii to provide information on water resources so that they can be managed on a sustainable and legally defensible basis. Fresh water in Hawaii is one of the most limiting and important of the natural resources in the State. This program will assess and provide water resource information in critical areas. This will include summaries and internet distribution of existing information sources, evaluation of hydrologic data collection networks and identification of gaps in the network, and studies to fill information needs.