Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission approves FY26 $3.5 million budget, funds carryover and trust‑fund projects

The Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission approved a fiscal year 2026 budget of roughly $3.5 million on Aug. 21, funding core staff and reimbursable restoration projects and authorizing the use of trust funds for grant‑backed work.

Executive Director Mike Naho'opee told commissioners the recommended package “is to approve a $2,771,956 general fund and special fund appropriation budget … and to approve the expenditure of approximately $779,890 from the [Rehabilitation] Trust Fund to fund reimbursable grant projects and operations.” The combined total for FY26 is roughly $3.5 million, he said.

The budget combines an allotment from the governor’s budget, general‑fund carryover from FY25, and reimbursable trust funds. Naho'opee said carryover funds and one‑time releases allowed the agency to purchase equipment and prepay multi‑year contracts, giving the commission a funding buffer going into FY27.

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