Senate Passes Public Lands Legislation That Will Bring More Federal Dollars To Hawai"i

Statement

Today U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai"i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted to pass public lands legislation that would bring more federal funding to Hawai"i and protect historic sites in the state. The bill provides permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which funds projects in Hawai"i.

"Our bill will mean new funding opportunities for conservation projects across Hawai"i and new resources to address the maintenance backlog that will help us protect our public lands for future generations," said Senator Schatz.

Hawai"i has received more than $260 million in LWCF funding, protecting treasured parks and historic sites like Haleakala, Hawai"i Volcanoes, Kalaupapa, Kaloko-Honokohau, and Puuhonua O Honaunau, and wildlife refuges including Hakalau Forest, Hanalei Valley, James Campbell, Kealia Pond, Kilauea Point, Oahu Forest, and Palmyra Atoll. In 2003, the 113,000-acre, $22 million Kahuku Ranch addition to Hawai"i Volcanoes National Park was the largest single land conservation transaction in the history of the state and increased park size by 50 percent.

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