Hawaii to Receive More Than $1.5 Million in Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants to Support State and Local Park Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive more than $1.5 million in funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to support the City and County of Honolulu and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) with improvements to various parks on Oahu, Kauai, and Maui.

The City and County of Honolulu will receive $653,036 to update playgrounds and make other renovations at Geiger Community Park, Lanakila District Park, Aina Koa Neighborhood Park, and Waimanalo Beach Park. DNLR will receive $500,000 to make improvements to walkways, parking areas, and other facilities at Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park on Kauai, and $500,000 for additional accessibility routes and restroom upgrades at Makena State Park on Maui.

“Hawaii has benefitted from more than $260 million in funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund over the last five decades. We know how vital our outdoor spaces have been during this pandemic. Funding these projects across our state will keep these parks well maintained so they can continue to be enjoyed,” Senator Hirono said.

Senator Hirono has continued to advocate for fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund as a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In June, the Senatorvoted to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, bipartisan legislation to address the National Park Service deferred maintenance backlog, and permanently and fully fund the LWCF. In a February 2019 speech on the Senate floor, Senator Hirono called attention to how the LWCF protects Hawaii’s natural resources. The Senator continues to support robust funding for LWCF, and received a 100 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters’ 2019 environmental scorecard.

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