KITV: Case, Kahele seek millions for local projects in new federal earmark program
WASHINGTON - Millions of dollars for environmental, medical, and economic projects throughout Hawaii headline a series of funding requests by U.S. Reps. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) and Kai Kahele (D-Hawaii) in the upcoming federal budget.
The requests are among hundreds made by members of the U.S. House of Representatives through “community project funding” – formally known as “earmarks” – money for so-called “pet projects” lawmakers stump for in Washington to send back to their districts.
These requests are now known in Washington as community project funding, a new title for the controversial “earmarks” that were banned about a decade ago after the program proved to be full of waste and abuse. House Democrats have brought the program back with stricter oversight measures.
Among the changes: Lawmakers will receive up to 10 earmarks requests; all earmarks account for no more than one percent of the federal budget; lawmakers cannot profit from the projects; and a new online portal will allow taxpayers to track where the money is going.
Republicans have long criticized the program for funding bloated pork-barrel projects that don’t affect the country as a whole. However, numerous GOP members have submitted requests this year.
Historically, earmarks have been slated for infrastructure projects. The return of these home-state line item projects comes as President Joe Biden is promoting his combined $4 trillion infrastructure project. Many of these new requests from our local lawmakers are for infrastructure projects, as well.
Lawmakers could receive all, some, or none of their ten requests.
(Note: The descriptions for each project have been taken from each lawmaker’s website.)
Requests made by Case:
Project Sponsor: Blood Bank of Hawai‘i
Address of Sponsor: 2043 Dillingham Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96819
Project Title: Blood Bank Hawai‘i Headquarters
Amount Requested: $2,111,000
Subcommittee: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education
Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration
Project Description: Blood Bank of Hawai‘i (BBH) is planning to construct a new headquarters that will be an integral part of Hawaii’s emergency preparedness plan while also accommodating technological advances, consolidating space and improving operating efficiencies. Plans call for the construction of a 19,000-square-foot, FDA Biosafe Level 2 facility with unrestricted access to collect, process, test, store and distribute blood. This facility will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, features of the new facility ensure required temperature controls, reliable data connectivity, a bio-waste storage area and other technologies to ensure that BBH is able to respond to any new pandemic or emergency, in addition to securing an uninterrupted blood supply. This new facility will serve patients on every island in Hawai‘i.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: Hospitals require a safe and reliable supply of blood for critical patient needs including trauma treatment, neonatal/pediatric ICU services, organ transplants, heart surgeries and oncology centers, among others. Importing blood from the mainland is cost prohibitive and, as a commodity, does not provide the services and expertise for which Hawai‘i hospitals rely on BBH. BBH is the sole blood provider for all of Hawaii’s 18 hospitals and their patients’ blood needs, including those on the neighbor islands (Hawai‘i Island, Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i and Kaua‘i). BBH’s current operations include donor centers on Dillingham Boulevard in Kalihi, and Young Street in Mo‘ili‘ili, mobile operations and monthly drives on the neighbor islands. When the Young Street location was built in 2012, it was envisioned as a donation center and blood distribution hub for centrally located hospitals. Nearly 10 years later, the Young Street center has grown to be BBH’s primary collection site. However, in the event of a disaster impacting central Honolulu or Honolulu Harbor, it would be strategically advantageous to have a manufacturing plant a greater distance away from downtown Honolulu. In addition, our current facility does not allow for growth and the critical need to integrate new technologies into our operations. As a result, after a thorough assessment process, BBH recently purchased a property in the growing community of West O‘ahu as a new permanent home for its statewide headquarters, in support of its donor center in Mo‘ili‘ili, mobile operations and neighbor island drives. In looking to the future, the population growth is going to shift to West O‘ahu. Healthcare facilities have been built or expanded over the last five years to serve this growth. A blood distribution and permanent donation center in West O‘ahu would serve these facilities while expanding BBH’s donor base including those with rare blood types. This new facility will ensure that BBH can continue to be an integral partner in addressing ever-emerging health threats to our community. BBH’s program to collect COVID Convalescent Plasma (CCP), a blood product from recovered patients that can help hospitalized patients recover, demonstrated significant benefits for Hawaii’s patients and the hospitals treating them. To date, over 3,000 doses have been collected from 200 donors, 1,859 doses transfused to local patients and several hundred doses remain in inventory.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i Lieutenant Governor Josh Green
• Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: City and County of Honolulu, Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency
Address of Sponsor: 650 S. King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Project Title: Honolulu City Tree Inventory and Management Plan
Amount Requested: $300,000
Subcommittee: Interior - Environmental Protection Agency
Agency: United States Forest Service
Project Description: These funds will allow Honolulu to develop a complete inventory of its tree assets, which is essential for determining the number of publicly owned trees, planning for new trees and tracking their maintenance needs. Analyzing a complete inventory against social vulnerability and other demographic and environmental data can identify potential disparities in city tree assets across communities and work towards equitable distribution of resources.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: Trees are critical urban infrastructure necessary for the health of Honolulu’s urban community. Often underappreciated, these environmental workhorses provide multiple free environmental services and are essential components of both climate change adaptation and mitigation. According to the City and County of Honolulu, for each dollar spent on tree planting and care, Honolulu’s trees provide $3 in benefits. Recent assessments have determined that O‘ahu has lost nearly 5 percent of its total tree canopy over the study area in just four years. The analysis also showed that the loss is not from vast clearings, but thousands and thousands of pinprick removals across our neighborhoods. Additionally, the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation Division of Urban Forestry receives more requests from the public for removing street trees than for planting. These trends cannot continue if we are to have cool, livable, walkable communities on the Island of O‘ahu. We must invest in and provide steward for our community forests. This project also is consistent with state and local planning efforts. It directly addresses the State Forest Action Plan in the areas of Urban and Community Forestry and Urban Tree Care.
Evidence of Community Support: This project is strongly supported by the community. In 2018, the Honolulu City Council adopted Resolution 18-55 calling for an increase the city’s urban tree canopy to at least 35 percent by 2035. Additionally, community interest has grown in the past three years, with the formulation of non-profits and neighborhood-specific “tree” groups, volunteer citizen foresters helping to collect critical data and the creation of a Community Forestry Section within the city’s Division of Urban Forestry. Additionally, “Maintaining and Enhancing the Community Forestry” was identified as Action 33 of the City’s O’ahu Resilience Strategy, and inventory and asset management were further emphasized in Mayor’s Directive 20-14, City and County of Honolulu Actions to Address Increasing Temperatures and the Urban Tree Canopy.
• City & County of Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi
• State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA)
Address of Sponsor: 3949 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816-4495
Project Title: State Emergency Operations Center in Mililani Tech Park
Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Subcommittee: Homeland Security
Agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency
Project Description: The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) is proposing to construct a hardened and modernized State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) at the First Responder Tech Campus in Mililani to replace the aging Battery Birkhimer SEOC in Diamond Head Crater. This project request covers the preliminary SEOC design phase, including schematic designs and developing report requirements.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: This project would benefit the State of Hawai‘i as a whole by enhancing HI-EMA's ability to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to and recover from future disasters. The current Birkhimer SEOC facility, built from unreinforced concrete and not originally intended to house an SEOC, can no longer fulfill HI-EMA’s operational needs. The proposed SEOC at the First Responder Tech Campus in Mililani would allow HI-EMA to form a collaborative, coordinated, and integrated emergency management community alongside relevant federal, state, and local agencies.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation
• State of Hawai‘i Mitigation Action Worksheet
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Address of Sponsor: 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kane‘ohe, HI 96744
Project Title: Nature-Based Coral Reef Features for Coastal Protection
Amount Requested: $200,000
Subcommittee: Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
Agency: NOAA
Project Description: The project entails the design of a pilot investigation that examines the capacity of innovative blue-green design approaches, in the form of various mixtures, surface textures, and three-dimensional shapes of bio-enhancing materials, to enhance native coral habitat and provide protection to critical coastal infrastructure in Hawai‘i. Combining alternative seawall designs with a method for rapidly growing coral fragments, the Hawai?i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) at the University of Hawai‘i will explore the potential use of engineered coral reef “living shoreline” approaches for coastal protection and restoration. This project will pilot bio-enhancing concrete materials, textures and shapes (e.g. eco-concrete, composite pumice, or carbon infused concrete) on small sections of seawall at HIMB to promote habitat for native organisms including corals, other invertebrates, and fish, to achieve eco-friendly designs that simultaneously restore reef habitat and protect the shoreline.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: This project would investigate the feasibility of an innovative solution to two major problems in Hawai‘i due to climate change and rising sea levels: coastal erosion and coral reef degradation. By identifying and testing bio-enhancing materials for use in seawalls, this project could enhance coastal resiliency while regrowing coral reef ecosystems. According to a study by the University of California at Santa Cruz, each kilometer of coral reef provides over $10 million in coastal protection each year. Furthermore, this project would be tested at the seawall protecting Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, a world-class facility for education and research at Moku o Lo‘e (Coconut Island). Over the years, this seawall has been degraded and is in need of repair, presenting an opportunity for this project to test a new, innovative solution while protecting a valuable facility for marine science.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i State Representative Lisa Kitagawa
• Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources
• The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i
• Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: The Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture (INPEACE)
Address of Sponsor: 91-1010 Shangrila Street, Suite 306, Kapolei, HI 96707
Project Title: Leeward Community Small Business Incubator
Amount Requested: $500,000
Subcommittee: Financial Services and General Government
Agency: Small Business Administration
Project Description: Hawai‘i has one of the highest percentages of small businesses in our country. With current Small Business Administration partner resources located in central Honolulu, many entrepreneurs on the growing west side of the Island of O‘ahu lack convenient access to technical support and small business assistance resources. INPEACE’s Leeward Community Small Business Incubator Project will provide critical small business assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs directly in their community so they do not have to transit across the island to obtain key services. With support from the Committee, INPEACE can expand its current business development program capacity, which primarily services the Native Hawaiian and veteran communities, to meet the growing needs of my Leeward community.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The construction of this Leeward Community Small Business Incubator Lab will bring business resources, training and assistance directly to West O‘ahu. This project will provide business owners serving O‘ahu’s underserved communities with a space and technology to take advantage of technical assistance and training opportunities. It will also allow federal, state and local experts to offer classes in West O‘ahu that will help these business owners be more competitive for grant awards and better understand the regulatory landscape. This project is a long-term investment in West O‘ahu to improve the number and quality of small businesses in O‘ahu’s fastest-growing population center. In addition to helping the local economy and job creation, it can help improve the community more broadly by creating jobs in the community, saving residents hours of commute time, which will allow them to spend more time giving back to the community.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i SBA District Director Mark Spain
• Hawai‘i SBDC Associate State Director Joseph Burns
• Hawai‘i State Senator Maile S.L Shimabukuro
• City and County of Honolulu Council Member Andria Tupola
• The Entrepreneurs Foundation of Hawai‘i
• The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Planning Services
Address of Sponsor: 2239 N. School Street, Honolulu, HI 96819
Project Title: Hale Lauele Center
Amount Requested: $1,057,963
Subcommittee: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education
Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration
Project Description: The proposed project would provide for the construction of a new 7,500 sq. ft. facility, Hale Lauele, to support and promote land-based, indigenous-focused health and education. The Center would be located on a 10-acre nature preserve cared for by Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Planning Services (KKV), Ho?oulu ?Aina. Hale Lauele will include curriculum and training for community health workers and clinical staff to integrate indigenous knowledge and practices (such as la’au lapa’au, ho?oponopono, and lomilomi) into conventional clinical programs at health centers, hospitals and other health care settings.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The Hale Lauele Center would be a unique structure filling a particular need for KKV and for the State of Hawaii since no other Federally-Qualified Health Center of the 1400 nationwide cares for a large nature preserve or offers comparable types of health programming. With almost fifty years' experience serving the low income Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community of Kalihi in Honolulu, KKV takes a holistic approach to providing primary care services that supports the needs of patients who are among the most vulnerable. Our strategies at Hale Lauele would address social determinants of health and the root causes of significant health disparities which were underscored by high infection and death rates from COVID-19. Our methodology has long-term benefits that include significant reductions in emergency and urgent care services. KKV has developed an effective community health curriculum and training protocol for medical providers, community health workers, and clinical staff. Our program integrates Indigenous practices such as la?au lapa?au, ho?oponopono, and lomilomi that have proven to be meaningful and beneficial to our patients. Hale Lauele will also support a practice-based program where patients can receive healing from practitioners.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i House Vice Speaker, Representative John M. Mizuno
• Native Hawaiian Health Consortium
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Proposed Sponsor: State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources
Address of Sponsor: Division of Aquatic Resources, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813
Project Title: Waikiki Marine Life Conservation District Snorkeling Site Restoration
Amount Requested: $415,000
Subcommittee: Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
Agency: NOAA
Project Description: Utilizing the existing Hawaii Coral Restoration Nursery (HCRN) located at the State’s Anuenue Fisheries Research Center, these fund would be used to produce large living coral modules for outplanting in a concentrated area within the Waikiki Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) to enhance shallow-water marine tourism use close to the tourism center of Waikiki to provide a free, maintained, reef snorkeling experience to help relieve intense visitor pressure on the island’s natural reef habitats and to help re-start the Hawaiian tourism industry after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Waikiki MLCD is one of only three completely no-take marine protected areas on the island of O‘ahu. Outplanted modules will be grown at the HCRN using existing, established and proven State of Hawaii protocols and procedures. These plans entail outplanting a minimum combination equivalent to 80 assorted live coral modules (16 inches, but possibly up to 1 yard in size) after a one-year period; these outplanted corals would be maintained at the site over time to provide for an alternative to visitors using our other natural reef areas for recreation. To accomplish this, the State would expand the existing coral growout capability of the HCRN into existing buildings.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The Waikiki MLCD is one of only three completely no-take marine protected areas on the island of O‘ahu. It is a significantly degraded MPA in need of coral restoration. The HCRN has shown over the last four to five years that placing larger (i.e. 42-cm or larger), 100%-covered live coral colony modules out onto shallow reefs results in greater survival and production of ecological services and functions than smaller colonies of the same species. This approach, with greater densities of coral, could provide over time greater protection of shoreline infrastructure (the reefs protecting Waikiki’s shoreline infrastructure have recently been valued at $154.3 million per year for this coastal protection (Honolulu Star-Advertiser; April 19, 2021) and have also been highlighted as being amongst the areas of highest vulnerability because of near-term sea level rise (Honolulu Star-Advertiser; April 5, 2021). Encouraging visitors to enjoy a snorkeling experience on maintained reefs in shallow waters directly adjacent to shore off Waikiki has the additional benefit to lessen visitor pressure on other less-degraded natural areas around the island that are currently being overused.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i State Senator Chris Lee
• Hawai‘i State Senator Sharon Moriwaki
• Hawai‘i State Representative Adrian Tam
• Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters
• Honolulu Star-Advertiser article on Hawaii’s million-dollar reefs (April 19, 2021)
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: State of Hawai‘i Workforce Development Council
Address of Sponsor: 830 Punchbowl Street, Room 417, Honolulu, HI 96813
Project Title: Workforce Resilience Initiative
Amount Requested: $990,000
Subcommittee: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education
Agency: Department of Labor
Project Description: In partnership with the State Libraries and Hawai‘i Literacy, the initiative will provide digital literacy training via in-person computer classes and access to online learning resources. Participants meet for one three-hour class and learn the basic computer skills necessary to continue learning intermediate and more advanced concepts online. The goal of the program is to produce a digitally-ready statewide workforce by reaching up to 8,000 people with basic computer skills training and providing access to more advanced workforce skills through online learning resources to over 2,500 people. This will be accomplished over 12 months through upskilling and reskilling training for Hawaii’s workforce in the areas of 1) digital literacy and computer skills, and 2) collaborative problem-solving skills in a technology-rich environment.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: Throughout the state, and based on the best data available, there are at least 220,000 (16%) Hawai‘i residents without the digital literacy skills to access and perform any of the basic activities available online. These activities include telehealth, banking, shopping, scheduling vaccinations, filing for unemployment, and staying in contact with family and friends. Research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2016 suggests that the number of people struggling with digital skills in the United States may be as high as 65 percent of the population 16-65 years old. Hawai‘i does not currently have digital literacy data available at the state level for the general population or the workforce. However, even if only 20 percent of the workforce is at the lowest levels of digital skills that is still over 100,000 people in Hawaii’s workforce without the digital literacy necessary to be competitive in a world-wide market.
The UK conducted an economic impact assessment in 2017 of the lack of digital literacy. Their conclusion stated: “Digital skills are becoming increasingly essential for getting access to a range of products and services. However, there is a digital divide where up to 12.6 million of the adult UK population lack basic digital skills. An estimated 5.8 million people have never used the internet at all. This digital skills gap is costing the UK economy an estimated £63 billion a year in lost additional GDP.” A proactive, deliberate effort to provide basic digital skills is a necessity for not just the individual’s economic well-being in Hawai‘i but also for the state as a whole.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i State Senator Glenn Wakai
• State of Hawai‘i Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
• State of Hawai‘i Department of Human Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Hawai‘i Institute for Public Affairs
• International Longshore & Warehouse Union Hawaii Local 142
• Democratic Party of Hawai‘i – Hawaiian Affairs Caucus
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: University of Hawai?i (UH) System Office of Strategic Health Initiatives
Address of Sponsor: 2425 Campus Road, Sinclair 10, Honolulu, HI 96822
Project Title: University of Hawai?i Rural Health Research Center
Amount Requested: $991,605
Subcommittee: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education
Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration
Project Description: The University of Hawai?i (UH) System seeks to establish a Rural Health Research Center (RHRC) focused on rural health workforce policy and health equity in its Office of Strategic Health Initiatives to conduct high-quality and policy-relevant research and develop policy recommendations to improve rural health care in Hawai?i. This project is part of the existing UHealthy Hawai?i initiative and in partnership with key local rural health stakeholders.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The need for a Rural Health Research Center at the University of Hawai‘i (UH), supported by key rural health stakeholders in Hawai‘i, has perhaps never been so acute. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hawaii’s rural areas already faced significant health provider shortages; challenges with travel to O‘ahu for specialist care; limited access to certain health services (i.e., dialysis); and significant health disparities, particularly among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of the health provider shortages in rural areas and many community, state, and federal stakeholders have expressed the need for further data and policy to improve rural health care in Hawai?i. A UH Rural Health Research Center, focused on rural health workforce policy and health equity in partnership with key rural health stakeholders, would be an excellent use of taxpayer funds because it would help to drive policy recommendations to improve quality of life and health outcomes for rural residents; decrease health disparities and pursue health equity across the state of Hawai‘i; potentially decrease health care costs; and make Hawai‘i a healthier place to live, especially for the most vulnerable.
The proposed new Rural Health Research Center at UH would provide a critical new hub for advancing policy and evidence-based research related to rural health and—specifically in Hawai‘i—rural health workforce policy and health equity. The Center is consistent with the UHealthy Hawai‘i initiative, which aims to leverage the UH System to improve health and health care in Hawai‘i and the Pacific through four primary areas of focus: ensuring a robust statewide health workforce; discovering and innovating to improve and extend lives; promoting healthier families and communities; and advancing health in all policies. UHealthy Hawai‘i has 35 community partners across the state of Hawai?i, including from the state government, health systems, primary care providers, insurers, health associations and advocacy groups, business community, and more.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i State Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
• Hawai‘i Rural Health Association
• Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center
• Hawai'i State Legislature Actions
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Project Sponsor: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Address of Sponsor: Programs and Project Management Division, Building 230, Fort Shafter, HI 96858-5440
Project Title: Honolulu Harbor Modification Feasibility Study
Amount Requested: $1,500,000
Subcommittee: Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Project Description: The USACE would conduct a feasibility study to assess the current vulnerabilities of Honolulu Harbor to natural disaster, navigation mishap and sea level rise and to propose opportunities, alternatives or solutions to the vulnerabilities identified. This study will inform the potential authorization of any future USACE projects to modify the infrastructure of Honolulu Harbor.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: Honolulu Harbor is the hub of all maritime activities in the State of Hawai‘i. Significant improvements and modifications must be made in Honolulu Harbor to meet current and future needs, including adapting to climate change and sea level rise, diversifying the economy, responding to maritime industry growth and supporting our nation’s military in the Indo-Pacific region. Honolulu Harbor annually handles over 12 million tons of cargo, including daily essentials such as food and commercial goods that stock our store shelves, as well as less obvious necessities such as aggregate and other construction materials; jet fuel for private, commercial and military aircraft; automobiles; and equipment and machinery for local industry. Honolulu Harbor has major vulnerabilities and is a single point of failure for the logistics behind this critical cargo for Hawai‘i. All heavy shipping traffic that brings in food, supplies and other cargo comes in through a single narrow harbor entrance, where it is offloaded onto barges or trucks and moved to other parts of the state. According to the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, at any given point the Hawaiian Islands only have about five to seven days of food on hand. This makes the harbor entrance especially vulnerable to natural disasters or blockages cause by damaged ships, as witnessed this year in the Suez Canal. This has led all parties to agree that it is time to conduct a study to assess what modifications are necessary to address these vulnerabilities, in particular a second entry-exit channel. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Harbors Division has reaffirmed its ability to finance the non-federal cost share of a feasibility study of the Honolulu Harbor modification project. It has budgeted the fifty percent local sponsor share of the feasibility study costs in FYs 2021, 2022 and 2023. Additionally, the State of Hawai‘i is committed to actively participating in the execution of the feasibility study and hopes to identify a federally approved plan that can be implemented.
Evidence of Community Support:
• Hawai‘i Department of Transportation
• Hawai‘i State Senator Glenn Wakai
• Hawai‘i Speaker of the House, Representative Scott Saiki
• Ocean Network Express Pte Ltd
• Pasha Hawai‘i Transport Lines
• Harbor Users Groups, including: Aloha Marine Lines, American Marine Corp., HC&D, Hawaiian Cement, Hawaii Gas, Par Hawai‘i, Inc., Kapolei Properties, LLC., Kirby Offshore Marine, McCabe Hamilton & RennyCo., Norwegian Cruise Line, Pacific Shipyards International, P&R Water Taxi, Sause Bros. Inc., Sea Engineering, Inc., Clean Islands Council, Hawai‘i Longshore Division, ILWU Local 142.
Financial Disclosure Certification:Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family
Requests made by Kahele:
Subcommittee: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development
Project Sponsor: Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island
Sponsor Address: 100 Kamakahonu Street Hilo, HI 96720
Project Name: Kea'au-Puna Youth Development Community Center
Project Location: Kea'au-Puna
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Project Description: These funds will finance a centralized building facility that is safe for children and provides for family households and the greater community of Puna-Kea’au an access location to secure daily supplemental nutrition, basic needs critical resources, affordable out-of-school child care services, essential youth development programming for income-challenged families, and during times of community crisis, the ability to gather and access from a central location within the district, needed disaster relief aid and community support resources.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
Project Sponsor: Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Sponsor Address: 91-1270 Kinoiki St. Bldg.1, Kapolei, HI 96707
Project Name: Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Trades and Entrepreneurship Academy
Project Location: Kaua?i County, Maui County, Hawai?i County, and O?ahu County
Requested Amount: $1,207,727.14
Project Description: In this one year period, CNHA, through its Trades & Entrepreneurship Academy will implement nine cohorts throughout the State of Hawai?i. Two on Kaua?i, two on Moloka?i, two on Maui, two on Hawai?i, and one on O?ahu. CNHA plans to select and train an estimated 360 residents between the ages of 18 and 44 in a middle-skill trades job to improve their socioeconomic conditions. (COVID restrictions may affect the number of students served at in-person classes). Cohorts will include a robust financial literacy component, technical job and business skill component, and a Hawaiian culture component. Workforce development training programs may include, but not be limited to the following trade careers based on local community need and demand specific to the island county: carpentry, CDL licensing, electrician, firefighter trainee, law enforcement (police), plumbing, solar installation and general contractors licensing. Health and medicine related fields may be explored. A CNHA team of executive leaders, program directors, marketing specialist, accounting specialist and financial education specialist will oversee, manage, coordinate, and implement the programs. CNHA will leverage relationships with community partners and trade industry experts to support training delivery and successful program implementation.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
Project Sponsor: Hana Health
Sponsor Address: P.O. Box 807, Hana, HI 96713
Project Name: Hana Health Rehabilitation and Support Center
Project Location: Hana
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Project Description: The rural district of Hana (Census Tract 301) is one of the most isolated areas in the state of Hawai?i. It is made up of small, isolated settlements scattered over 233 square miles. Located 57 miles from Wailuku, the trip from Hana takes approximately 2.5 hours, at a speed of between 10 and 25 miles an hour, along a single lane road with 617 turns and 56 one-lane bridges. Hana is federally designated as a Medically Under-Served Population, a Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area, a Dental Health Professional Shortage Area and a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area.
Limited access to specialty providers and internet connectivity continues to be a barrier to quality healthcare for rural communities. Rural patients typically have less income than those in urban areas, limiting their ability to afford care even if they can manage the travel to an urban location. Combine this with limited internet access in remote areas and the healthcare outlook for rural communities is difficult at best.
For vulnerable low-income clients who utilize community health centers as their safety net, access to specialty care remains a huge challenge. There is a clear disparity in specialty care access for the uninsured and underinsured. This funding will help finance the Hana Health Rehabilitation and Support Center which is designed to meet the health care needs of the almost 2,000 people residing in the Hana District. All district residents will benefit from having access to an expanded level of health care services in this remote, low/moderate income region of the island where at least 62% of households are below the median income level (2018 Census Data).
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development
Project Sponsor: Kauai Economic Development Board, Inc.
Sponsor Address: PO Box 3921, Lihue, HI 96766
Project Name: Kauai Creative Technology Center
Project Location: Lihue
Requested Amount: $650,000
Project Description: The Kauai Creative Technology Center (“KCTC”) is a project being developed by the Kauai Economic Development Board (“KEDB”), whose purpose is to diversify and expand career opportunities for youth and working professionals. KCTC diversifies Kauai’s economy and advances the Creative Industries and Technology sectors by balancing educational goals, professional development, and work experiences. The construction of the KCTC will bring the necessary facilities and infrastructure to support creative media users on Kauai to be competitive on a global scale, including a soundproof room/studio, collaborative workspaces, and high-speed internet. The facility will be located in the West Kauai Technology and Visitor Center. The KCTC will also support the development of a Pearson VUE test center, bringing immediate and positive impact to Kauai’s workforce. Professional licenses/certifications offer a route to higher pay and competitiveness in employment screenings and job placement.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
Project Sponsor: Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc.
Sponsor Address: 99 Mahalani Street, Wailuku, HI 96793
Project Name: The Kaohi Program
Project Location: Moloka?i
Requested Amount: $100,000
Project Description: According to the University of Hawai?i, John A. Burns School of Medicine, substance use represents a significant health disparity among indigenous and minority populations in the U.S., including in Hawai`i. This is particularly problematic in rural communities where health promotion and prevention resources are limited. In addition, the majority of Hawaiians reside in rural areas of the State of Hawai`i. Furthermore, Native Hawaiian youth tend to have early substance use onset and higher use rates relative to their non-Hawaiian peers. The Kaohi program will offer in- and out-of-school activities and will target 100 Moloka?i youth ages 11 to 18 years. Out-of-school activities include peer leadership, college/career development, youth-driven activities, parent involvement, community activism and volunteerism, and cultural connectedness to reinforce the learned curriculum.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Commerce, Justice, Science
Project Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy
Sponsor Address: 923 Nu‘uanu Ave., Honolulu, HI 96817
Project Name: Putting People to Work Supporting Community-Based Co-Management of Coastal Resources
Project Location: Hawai‘i Island and Maui
Requested Amount: $500,000
Project Description: This project supports Hawai‘i Island and Maui coastal communities to co-manage Hawai?i’s coral reefs and nearshore fisheries to increase health and abundance while building coastal and community resilience. Funding will support community-based co-management of coastal resources by putting local community members to work conducting fisheries (creel) and human use surveys, developing sustainable coral reef fisheries management plans, and establishing Makai Watch programs to promote education and compliance with rules to inform area-based management under the State of Hawai‘i’s Holomua 30x30 Initiative. This is a valuable investment of taxpayer funds because these efforts will help restore healthy reefs and abundant nearshore fisheries, supporting local food security and community resilience for generations to come. Healthy coral reefs in Hawai‘i are vital for our economy and coastal protection, as well as local communities’ subsistence, culture, identity, livelihood and recreation.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development
Project Sponsor: Pa?a Pono Miloli?i
Sponsor Address: 88-1797 Milolii Road, Captain Cook, HI 96704
Project Name: Miloli?i Community Enrichment and Historical Center
Project Location: Miloli?i
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Project Description: Pa`a Pono Miloli`i (PPM), is in the process of constructing a multi-purpose community center on state-owned lands in South Kona to address the community’s need for a permanent, covered community center and gathering space for public meetings, cultural activities, and educational and recreational programs.
The proposed action is to complete the building of three structures totaling 4,800 square feet in two phases. In Phase I, the main multi-purpose community center would be constructed. Phase II will involve construction of two separate adjoining structures north of the Community Center and Phase III an educational classroom and restroom facility. The three proposed structures would be designed and constructed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). This funding will help to complete Phase I by completing the main pavilion, classrooms, the canoe hale, and other vital infrastructure. The funding will help to complete phase II by providing funding for landscaping, a playground and additional classrooms.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Commerce, Justice, Science
Project Sponsor: State of Hawai?i, Department of Land & Natural Resources/Division of Conservation and Resources
Sponsor Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Project Name: DLNR/DOCARE Academy Program
Project Location: Statewide
Requested Amount: $340,000
Project Description: The State of Hawai?i DLNR/DOCARE Academy Program prepares and trains recruits to become effective Conservation Resources Enforcement Officers, which includes employing the daily principles of integrity, respect, fairness, competency, and the spirit of Aloha to uphold the laws that serve to protect, conserve and manage Hawai?i’s unique and limited natural, cultural and historic resources held in public trust for current and future generations of visitors and the people of Hawai’i nei. This funding will assist in continuing the DOCARE program and assist recruits find employment in enforcing environmental laws.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Agriculture
Project Sponsor: Synergistic Hawai?i Agriculture Council
Sponsor Address: 190 Keawe St Suite 25, Hilo, HI 96720
Project Name: Puna Flower Agricultural Cooperative
Project Location: Puna
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Project Description: The Puna and South Hilo districts on Hawai?i were heavily impacted by the 2018 Kilauea lava flow. Hundreds of acres of State Important Agricultural Lands and Hawai?i County-identified “Core Crop Lands” were either destroyed or had access roads blocked. The districts supported a high number of floriculture businesses, and the industry reported losses of $30 million. A key success story in the recovery from the 2018 Kilauea lava flow has been the founding of the Puna Flower Power (PFP) agricultural cooperative. The cooperative arose from Synergistic Hawai?i Agriculture Council members in the orchid industry whose businesses were inundated by the volcano.
This funding will work to construct a training and educational space for nursery and floriculture producers, provide plant quarantine space as well as a business recovery site for cooperative member-growers who were inundated by lava. It will also create and provide a marketing organization capable of providing marketing services for members and for community non-members who require marketing support. This capability will enable the newly trained growers to establish and produce products that can be effectively marketed nationally.
Financial Disclosure: HERE
Subcommittee: Agriculture
Project Sponsor: Waianae Community Redevelopment Corporation
Sponsor Address: P.O. Box 441 Waianae, HI 96792
Project Name: MA'O Organic Farms
Project Location: Waianae
Requested Amount: $896,000
Project Description: This agriculture infrastructure investment will allow community nonprofit organization MAO Organic Farms, with the active and collaborative support of University of Hawai?i, to build on its 20-year foundation of growing young leaders and healthy organic produce in Waianae, Oahu. In 2018-19 MAO expanded from 24- to 281-acres, growth that will drive a 10x increase in food production; a 4x expansion of youth internship, training and educational opportunities; and the creation of dozens of new green-collar jobs. The organization’s new state-of-the-art 13,000 sq ft post-harvest processing facility is critical to handling this increased throughput. It will replace the existing rudimentary processing shed, and will include larger packing and cold storage spaces and sophisticated automated washing equipment. The facility is designed to meet the highest federal food safety standards, and be energy and water efficient.
The new facility and overall expansion efforts will also enable MAO to expand their work as an effective intervention to bolster college enrollment, retention, and attainment, while equipping youth with practical and leadership skills and knowledge to succeed in the workplace and beyond. In sum, this project is foundational to MAO’s commitment to empower a cadre of educated, entrepreneurial youth to improve the social and economic mobility of their families and community from generational poverty toward increased abundance and prosperity.
Financial Disclosure: HERE