Committee forwards $1.9 million NOAA grant to restore Puapuaʻaʻiki shoreline

The Hawaii County Committee on Finance on Oct. 20 voted to forward to full council a resolution authorizing the mayor to accept $1,901,521 from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the ʻIki Habitat Restoration Project to restore about 11.5 acres of deforested land at Puapuaʻaʻiki in North Kona.

"This is from prior, it began in the prior administration. There's been a lot of background, coordination with community members as well as, well, the Neale descendants as well as cultural representatives, from the area," Laura Ocasio, administrator for the Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity and Resilience, said in introducing the grant to the committee. She said the award came through NOAA’s Coastal Zone Management habitat protection and restoration competition funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and that the project was the result of multi‑year work by county staff, community members and cultural practitioners.

Councilmember Villegas thanked staff and community partners, noting that the funding will support the county’s acquisition of four parcels (about 13 acres total, as described by the councilmember) and enable restoration, protection of cultural sites and portions of the property to be used as park and open space. "This is 13 acres. It was 4 separate parcels that had sat fallow for years," Villegas said. "...to have a portion of the Kona Coast protected in perpetuity where these cultural treasures can be reestablished, reenlivened, and the portions that will be appropriate for community to utilize as potential park and open space. It's just really exciting."

The committee record shows the grant project term is four years. Committee members asked staff about community coordination and cultural stewardship; Ocasio said staff worked closely with lineal descendants and cultural organizations and thanked prior administrations and property managers who assisted in assembling the parcels. Public testimony earlier in the meeting included Curtis Tyler, a lineal descendant, who said he "[was] speaking today ... in very strong favor and congratulations, to the county for bringing forth resolution 3 7 6 25," and expressed support for the work by OSER and grant writers.

The committee's favorable recommendation moves the resolution and a companion ordinance (Bill 99) to full council for final action. The committee recorded a favorable recommendation vote (6 ayes; Councilmembers Kimball, Onishi and Inaba excused). If accepted by council and the mayor, the county would enter the grant agreement and receive the federal funds for the stated restoration purposes.

Provenance: Topic introduced at 00:25:42 (resolution 3 76 presentation) and last discussed at 00:28:05 (Councilmember Villegas remarks and committee vote).