I am continuing my service on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, responsible for directing over $1.7 trillion of annual federal discretionary spending throughout our country. Our Committee’s responsibilities reach all federal government efforts, including agriculture, defense, veterans, science, energy, environment, justice, homeland security, labor, health and human services, education, transportation, housing and foreign affairs.
In 2021, the House adopted a submissions process for Community Project Funding (CPF) requests by individual Members for specific projects and purposes. This is because Members know our districts and their unique needs and priorities, and should be able to direct some federal funding to specific projects rather than leave those decisions to federal administrators without that knowledge.
A similar procedure in prior years was known commonly as “earmarking”. Although it was mostly applied fairly and correctly (we have many examples of critical projects in Hawai’i that would not have been completed without directed funding from our Congressional delegation), it was abused and rightly suspended.
CPF is subject to strict limitations to avoid similar abuse. CPF requests may only be directed to governments or non-profits, not for-profit businesses or individuals. They must have demonstrated community support, and are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. They are limited in number, and the total amount of all approved CPFs for all Members cannot exceed 0.5% of all appropriations for the year. Finally, all Members must publicly disclose their CPF requests together with required information on each request. More information on CPFs and restrictions on abuse is here.
In preparing my own CPF requests, I consulted with Hawai’i state and county governments and non-profits, applied my own knowledge and beliefs as to district needs, considered whether a project could obtain federal funding through other means, and made some difficult decisions given my limited number of CPF requests. There is no assurance that any or all of my CPF requests will be approved in the amounts requested or at all.
My CPF requests for Fiscal Year 2025 (October 1, 2024-September 30, 2025) were submitted in April 2024. To discuss a proposal for Fiscal Year 2026, please contact my DC office and fill out this form.
Note: There is no guarantee that CPF will continue throughout the two-year 118th Congress, which commenced in January 2023.
Fiscal Year 2025
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Papakōlea Sewer Improvement Projects
Project Recipient: Hawaiʻi Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Project Description: The Hawaiʻi Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is a state agency responsible for administering the federal Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1922. Its responsibilities include installing and maintaining infrastructure on the Hawaiian home lands created by that act. Papakōlea in Honolulu is one of the Hawaiian home lands. It was established in 1934, and has a current population of about 1,300, the majority being Native Hawaiian. This funding will contribute to planning and design for long-overdue improvements to Papakōlea’s sewer system.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it would help bring the sewer system up to code and reduce any disruptions in service to the 1,300 residents of Papakōlea.
Federal Nexus:The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by Title VI of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C 1381 et seq.
Project Recipient: The Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Recipient Address: 630 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96843
Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Project Description: The Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) manages Oahu’s municipal water resources and distribution system, providing residents with safe and dependable water service. Following the November 2021 fuel spill at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, BWS closed its Halawa Shaft, one of the largest sources of potable water in the Metropolitan 180 system. Facing a water deficit, BWS would like to improve the reliability and adequacy of Oahu’s water supply by installing control valve assembly and water line connections to allow the controlled release of Pearl Harbor 285 system water into the Metropolitan 180 system.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because interconnecting these two systems will support reliability and adequacy of water for drinking, hygiene and fire protection.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by Title VI of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C 1381 et seq.
Recipient Address: Birkheimer EOC, 3949 Diamond Head Rd, Honolulu, HI 96816
Amount Requested: $3,000,000
Project Description: The funding would be used to establish an information sharing platform that enables direct collaboration between HI-EMA and local companies, nonprofit organizations and anchor institutions during normal times and in events of disasters.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will significantly improve Hawaii’s emergency management and preparedness capabilities by facilitating mobile-based evacuation support for local entities and residents while focusing on creating individual evacuation plans for vulnerable disaster victims who need special consideration for evacuation.
Federal Nexus: his project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by section 614 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5196c), as amended by section 202 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (9/11 Act).
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND RELATED AGENCIES
Red Hill Water Treatment Facility
Project Recipient: Department of the Navy
Recipient Address: Department of the Navy, 1000 Navy Pentagon, Room 4D652, Washington D.C. 203500
Amount Requested: $160,000,000
Project Description: he funding would be used to construct a drinking water treatment facility for removing potential contaminants and ensuring that the water at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam meets all federal and state drinking water standards. In November 2021, approximately 14,000 gallons of a mix of water and fuel entered Red Hill’s lower access tunnel and contaminated Pearl Harbor’s drinking water system. The fuel affected almost 100,000 residents, forcibly displacing more than 3,500 military families into temporary lodging and sickening many residents and their pets. Since the incident, the military has stopped drawing drinking water from the shaft. This has placed a great strain on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam as the Red Hill shaft supplied an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the total water supply for the base.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the permanent loss of the Red Hill water supply would significantly reduce the water resources available to meet the demands at the joint base and strain military operations. The military also has an obligation to remediate the Red Hill drinking water shaft.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 10 U.S.C. Chapter 16
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES
Aloha Tower Repair and Observation Deck Renovation
Project Recipient: City & Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation
Recipient Address: 79 S. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $3,000,000
Project Description: Completed in 1926, the Aloha Tower is a historic landmark standing guard over Honolulu Harbor. Its 10th floor houses an observation deck, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the harbor and Ko’olau Mountain Range. Since the pandemic, the observation deck has been closed due to safety concerns regarding its fire suppression system and elevators. The Department of Transportation has embarked on repairs and is on track to reopen its deck to the public by September 2026. However, it has not been renovated since 1986 and has cracked spalling, faded interpretive signage and outdated restroom facilities. The Department of Transportation seeks to invest these funds in restoring the Aloha Tower's grandeur. This includes renovating the observation deck and refreshing the exterior, ensuring it regains its rightful place as a historic symbol of Hawaiʻi and remains accessible and pleasant for tourists and locals.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: TThe project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it would revitalize a beloved historic landmark for both tourists and locals.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4).
Recipient Address: 1240 Gulick Ave. Honolulu, HI 96819
Amount Requested: $5,000,000
Project Description: Kalihi Waena Elementary urgently requires funding for the replacement of deteriorating bridges connecting the State's largest public housing complex, The Towers of Kuhio Park, Richard Lane and surrounding areas to the school. The current bridges pose significant safety risks, with structural damage and lack of ADA compliance hindering accessibility for students and community members, especially the elderly and physically challenged. Funding is needed for a single-span bridge from KPT to Kalihi Waena Elementary, including an ADA-compliant ramp to Richard Lane, to ensure safe and accessible passage for all. Failure to address this issue would disproportionately burden the community, particularly students who rely on walking to school, exacerbating already challenging circumstances. This project aligns with the FY25 Economic Development Initiative program's goals, promoting community development, enhancing safety and addressing a compelling local need for improved infrastructure and accessibility.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it aligns with the Fiscal Year 2025 Economic Development Initiative program's goals of promoting community development, enhancing safety and addressing a compelling local need for improved infrastructure and accessibility.
Federal Nexus: TThe project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is consistent with purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C.5305(a)(1), 5305(a)(2), 5305(a)(4), and/or 5305(a)(5).
Project Recipient: Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation
Recipient Address: 79 S. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $400,000
Project Description: Local neighborhood boards have expressed concerns about existing congestion and the impacts of new surrounding development at the Kapiolani Interchange. The interchange handles a high traffic volume and frequently experiences high congestion. This increases the risk of accidents due to impatience and limited visibility. The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation would like to conduct a study to assess the operations of the critical Kapiolani Interchange and generate recommendations for improvements.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because a more efficient interchange would improve traffic flow and safety on a major thoroughfare.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by Section 133(b) of Title 23, United States Code.
Highlands Intermediate School's Media Center Infrastructure Project
Project Recipient: Highlands Intermediate School
Recipient Address: 1460 Hoʻolauleʻa St, Pearl City, HI 96782
Amount Requested: $300,000
Project Description: Highlands Intermediate School is in urgent need of modernizing its media center to accommodate the growing student population and foster collaborative learning environments. The proposed renovations aim to revolutionize the space, facilitating innovative teaching methods and empowering students to explore various multimedia formats. The introduction of a partition and sound booth will enable the segregation of activities within the media center, providing students with designated areas for focused work and creative endeavors. This initiative seeks to enhance the overall educational experience and promote technological literacy among the student body. By investing $300,000 in this project, Highlands Intermediate aims to not only expand their student capacity but also cultivate a collaborative maker space that encourages innovation, creativity and exploration. This endeavor reflects the school’s dedication to providing the highest quality education and equipping students with the skills necessary to thrive in the digital age.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will create an accessible, inclusive learning environment, promote economic development and address a compelling local need for improved educational infrastructure.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is consistent with purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C.5305(a)(1), 5305(a)(2), 5305(a)(4), and/or 5305(a)(5).
Waikīkī Beach Environmental Restoration and Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study
Project Recipient: United States Army Corps of Engineers
Recipient Address: 2250 Kalākaua Ave. Suite 315, Honolulu, HI 96815
Amount Requested: $500,000
Project Description: Waikīkī is a globally recognized icon of Hawaiʻi and is the state’s largest tourist destination, driving both domestic and international arrivals, and makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy. The majority of tourists who visit Hawai‘i stay at some point in Waikīkī hotels and resorts, right on Waikīkī Beach or right next to it so they can visit the beach. A 2016 report by the University of Hawaiʻi concluded that some 58% of tourists to Waikīkī would not have visited if there was no beach and easy ocean access at Waikīkī, and the same study concluded that a complete erosion of Waikīkī Beach would result in a potential loss of $2.2 billion in spending and revenue for Hawaii’s economy. Recent erosion is already negatively impacting public and private coastal infrastructure, as well as U.S. Army facilities at Fort DeRussy. The Waikīkī backshore is frequently flooded, particularly during high surf events. These events are accelerating damage to backshore infrastructure, such as public walkways, significantly restricting lateral public access along the shore. Without beach improvements and maintenance, sea level rise is likely to result in significant, if not total, beach loss in Waikīkī with an estimated economic loss of $50 million to $150 million per hectare, impacting domestic and international commerce. Preserving, restoring and maintaining these resources are of critical importance to Oʻahu’s economic, social, cultural and environmental sectors, bringing urgency for the requested feasibility study.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: This funding will commence a USACE new start investigation to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate alternatives to reduce erosion and coastal storm risk that are threatening vital infrastructure, the ecosystem and the economy in Hawaiʻi.
Federal Nexus: This project is authorized under Sec. 8201(a)(26) of P.L. 117-347 (WRDA 2022).
Project Recipient: Division of Aquatic Resources at the Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources
Recipient Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $400,000
Project Description: Two species of non-native octocoral have been introduced to the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam watershed on Oahu. These octocorals, Unomia stolonifera and Capnella spicata, have exhibited highly invasive qualities and are blanketing an estimated 82 acres of the ocean floor. The two species can easily propagate by fragmentation and have been known to attach to floating debris. They may also be able to attach to vessel hulls, which would allow the invasive octocorals to reach far distances including other islands. The invasives have the capability to displace native species and overgrow stony corals, the building blocks of Hawaii’s reefs. While the invasion is currently only known to be contained within Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, a coordinated diver and eDNA survey effort of vulnerable areas outside of the current known invasion range is a top priority. The Division of Aquatic Resources would conduct this survey effort to identify the current range and any new invasion sites. Priority sites for surveys have been identified based on ocean currents and connectivity to the invasion zone via vessel traffic. Surveys would include visual in-water surveys by state divers and partners, as well as eDNA surveys that build on an existing partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because identification of the geographical scope of the spread of invasive octocorals will play a crucial role in stopping its dispersion, protecting the balance of Hawaii’s marine ecosystem.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 16 U.S.C. § 1451 et seq.
Fireshed Partnerships to Facilitate Wildfire Risk Reduction Project
Project Recipient: Hawaiʻi State Climate Commission
Recipient Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 132, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested:$1,700,000
Project Description: Fueled by overgrown invasive grasses left behind from bygone agriculture and fanned by dry conditions, the 2023 Maui wildfires were a stark reminder of how poor land management can contribute to devastating natural disasters. It also highlighted the urgent need for proactive fire management strategies. The Hawaiʻi State Climate Commission would like to conduct this project to reduce the probability of similar tragedies. The project will establish 2-4 “Fireshed Partnerships” to bring together owners and managers of the fire-prone, largely unmanaged lands surrounding the state’s most vulnerable communities to specify and initiate actions for large-scale cross-boundary wildfire risk reduction. It will do so by mapping and determining available fire-related resources, hazardous fuels, resource needs and the costs and suitability of site-specific risk reduction strategies. Additionally, they will develop multi-partner fuel management demonstrations, including grazing, fuel breaks and reforestation to reduce risk.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it directly protects public safety, property and critical infrastructure by assessing risks and developing strategies to prevent and mitigate wildfires.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 16 U.S.C. § 1451 et seq.
Recipient Address: 923 Nuʻuanu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96817
Amount Requested:$998,560
Project Description: Healthy coral reefs are essential to fostering a healthy marine ecosystem, drawing tourists to Hawaiʻi and boosting the economy in addition to supporting both local seafood diets and recreational fishing. To maintain these coral reefs vital to Hawaiʻi, the Nature Conservancy intends to conduct reef, reef fish, and water quality surveys to document reef condition at three priority sites, on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui and Oahu islands where communities and partners are improving place-based conditions. They would also work to expand and activate community-powered coastal water quality monitoring partnerships for coral reef conservation statewide, building on existing citizen science programs in Hawai‘i. Furthermore, they would restore corals across at least 2,400 square meters of reef in the Stateʻs Coral Bleaching priority areas of Kealakekua and Ka‘upulehu. The Nature Conservancy is one of Hawaii’s largest environmental nonprofits conducting coral reef conservation and restoration. From restoring native forests and removing invasive species to safeguarding coral reefs and endangered wildlife, their science-based approach aims to ensure the long-term survival of Hawaii's natural wonders. This work not only preserves the islands' irreplaceable biodiversity but also supports the well-being of local communities and the state's tourism industry.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because healthy reefs support a wide variety of marine life, contributing to a balanced ocean ecosystem.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 16 U.S.C. § 1451 et seq.
Maunalua Fishpond Watershed Restoration and Fishpond Access Program
Project Recipient: Division of Aquatic Resources at the Hawaiʻi State Department of Natural Resources
Recipient Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested:$1,481,000
Project Description: The Maunalua Fishpond is crucial to both Hawaii’s ecology and heritage. Not only does the Maunalua Fishpond create a balanced ecosystem by filtering water and contributing to overall coastal health, it also is one of the few remaining examples of traditional Hawaiian fishponds. Additionally, the Maunalua fishpond demonstrates a sustainable way of managing fisheries by cultivating fish within the pond and ensuring a reliable food source without depleting ocean resources. To maintain the Maunalua Fishpond, the Division of Aquatic Resources would conduct both large and small-scale projects to restore fishpond habitat and enhance water quality. Project components such as invasive species removal will be conducted with community volunteers. Native aquatic and terrestrial plants will be propagated to replace them. Additionally, they would establish a new mullet propagation and restocking program at the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center at sites in Niu and Kuliʻouʻou, Oʻahu. It would include a robust educational component, involving multiple schools, as well as a heavy community participation/stewardship component. Lastly, the Division of Aquatic Resources would address the need for safe stewardship access to Maunalua. Funds would be used for planning, design, and implementation, which would include repairs and improvements and maintenance to the fishpond site infrastructure.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because restoring these traditional Hawaiian food production systems will provide a sustainable source of food for the community and contribute to the health of surrounding ecosystems by filtering pollutants and runoffs.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 16 U.S.C. § 1451 et seq.
Recipient Address: 41-202 Kalanianaʻole Hwy #9, Waimanalo, HI 96795
Amount Requested:$350,000
Project Description: The Oceanic Institute of Hawaiʻi Pacific University is a non-profit research and development organization dedicated to aquaculture, biotechnology and coastal resource management. Scientists at the Oceanic Institutes have achieved numerous and significant technical breakthroughs in fish aquaculture research over decades of work that contributed to local food production and marine conservation. However, additional investments are needed to convert aging equipment to propel research into the 21st century. The Oceanic Institute is requesting funding to replace aging equipment used to support live algae cultures and to de-gas incoming acidic seawater. This equipment is critically important in ensuring that OI’s algae cultures remain free from bacterial contamination. The ability to produce large volumes of high-quality microalgae in a predictable manner is crucial to the success of the Oceanic Institute. Algae serves as a vital first link in the food chains which are recreated in captivity to raise the various larval stages of marine organisms in the Oceanic Institute cultures.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:he project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the research conducted with this equipment has contributed heavily to local food production and marine conservation efforts on Oʻahu.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 16 U.S.C. § 1451 et seq.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FEDERAL DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Reforestation and Carbon Forestry Assessment
Project Recipient: Division of Forestry and Wildlife at the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources
Recipient Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street #325, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Amount Requested: $185,000
Project Description: The Division of Forestry and Wildlife manages roughly one million acres of public lands across Hawaiʻi. On these lands, reforestation and afforestation are important for efforts such as restoring landscapes, increasing resilience, absorbing carbon and healing lands that have bene cleared for other purposes over the past hundred years. Before undertaking reforestation, an assessment is needed to identify the most suitable acres by analyzing the landscape, soil, access, slope, infrastructure and land use patterns. This will assist in identifying the scale and scope of resources needed to undertake large-scale reforestation that will conserve soil and water resources in Hawaiʻi.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it is the first fiscally responsible step towards a larger reforestation effort that yields significant environmental advantages for Hawaiʻi.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 16 U.S. Code Sections 590a-590d and 590f-g.
Kahilinai Place and Aeia Heights Drive Area Water System Improvements
Project Recipient: Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Recipient Address: 630 S Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $5,680,000
Project Description: This project will replace 3,900 linear feet of critical aging potable waterline infrastructure segments at the end of their useful life, which will reduce instances of loss of water services. Main line water breaks in this area often cause disruption to safe drinking water services, property damage, significant impacts to street traffic and may affect the water system operations in other areas as well. The project will replace existing 6-inch and 8-inch cast iron pipe water mains with ductile iron pipe in accordance with local water system standards. Once complete, these segments will ensure a significant reduction in main breaks and extend the life of this segment of the water system for up to another 100 years. This project aligns with the working goals outlined in the Board’s 30-year Water Master Plan. It will improve system reliability and adequacy to provide uninterrupted water services at proper pressures, provide vital emergency service and deliver water at an affordable and responsible cost.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will replace transmission and distribution pipes to prevent contamination caused by leaks and improve water pressure to safe levels.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300j-12.
Project Description: The Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) is responsible for the long-term sustainable management of the State of Hawaii’s drinking water resources. CWRM maintains and operates a network of 12 deep monitoring wells that provide data on changes in freshwater aquifers over time. This project will support the construction of two new deep monitoring wells on Oahu. These wells will be used to refine current sustainable yield estimates and ensure that long term drinking water plans match scientific understanding. Expansion of CWRM’s deep monitor well network is included as a focus of effort in the Hawaii State Water Resource Protection Plan. This data is essential for planning for future water shortages and observing long-term changes in water availability. Additional deep monitoring wells are needed to improve the state’s understanding of groundwater conditions which face threats from both drought and contamination, especially following the military’s actions at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Facility that polluted the largest drinking aquifer on Oahu.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will facilitate compliance with national primary drinking water regulations, address serious risks to public health including non-regulated contaminants and ensure the long-term security of drinking water resources on the Island of Oahu.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300j-12.
Project Description: This community project will allow CWRM to conduct statewide water security audit of over 50 public water systems. The audit will help small systems identify and address efficiency issues, including leak detection, water meter testing and calibration, water meter replacement and meter installation for unmetered systems.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will facilitate compliance with national primary drinking water regulations, and replace transmission and distribution pipes to prevent contamination.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300j-12.
Recipient Address: 4204 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96816-4495
Amount Requested: $6,516,000
Project Description: The funding would be used to install a fixed generator at Pali Momi Medical Center.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it would provide critical system redundancy and stabilize and reduce risks to direct community lifelines by mitigating the risk and vulnerability associated with a power loss during a natural disaster.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by Section 203 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5133), as amended by Section 1234, National Public Infrastructure Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation, of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND RELATED AGENCIES
Planning and Design for a Flight Control Tower at Wheeler Army Airfield
Project Recipient: Department of the Army
Recipient Address: Department of the Army, SAFM-BUL, 109 Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310
Amount Requested: $5,400,000
Project Description: These funds will be used for planning and design of a new air traffic control tower at Wheeler Army Airfield. The existing control tower, built in 1979, no longer meets the current operational and safety requirements for airfield operations and has numerous maintenance issues. The flight control tower supports multiple types of rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft from various military services. In its capacity, the tower supports these missions and monitors and supports surrounding municipal air space operations to ensure smooth transitions in, around, and through the airspace associated with the installation. A new tower is required to provide the installation with a control tower that is compliant with current codes and standards for the facility type to support the mission of the aviation units stationed at Wheeler Army Airfield and support safe operations in and around the airfield, to include non-military aircraft that pass through the area. The total cost to complete this project is $48 million, but $5.4 million is needed to complete the planning and design for this critical project in FY 2024 to keep it on track for full construction funding as soon as possible in succeeding fiscal years. This project is an unfunded priority for the Army.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: This project is a good use of taxpayer funds, and its value extends beyond the critical operations of Wheeler Army Airfield to the local community and the Island of O‘ahu. The air traffic control tower also helps manage commercial and recreational aviation that passes by the airfield. In addition, upgrading the tower could help civil aviation during a major disaster. Under some scenarios Wheeler Army Airfield could be the Island of O‘ahu’s only operational runway for bringing in supplies and serving as a staging ground for Federal Emergency Management Agency activities.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 10 U.S.C. Chapter 169.
Clearwell and Booster Pump Project at Fort Shafter
Project Recipient: Department of the Army
Recipient Address: Department of the Army, SAFM-BUL, 109 Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310
Amount Requested: $23,000,000
Project Description: This project would construct a distribution system, storage tank, clearwell and booster pump system on Fort Shafter in Honolulu, Hawaii. This project is urgently needed because the current drinking water system does not meet water quantity and quality requirements. High salinity water is degrading the existing piping and appurtenances, resulting in high maintenance costs and an increasing number of water failures, which prevents the Army from ensuring adequate drinking water and emergency fire responses. This project is on the Army’s unfunded priorities list.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is a good use of taxpayer funds because our service members and civilians that use Fort Shafter must have access to safe drinking water. The wells are the sole source for the installation’s potable water needs. There is an ongoing issue of elevated chlorides found in water from one of two water wells and exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency standards. The chloride content is a result of sea water intrusion into the well. This has led to premature aging of the water distribution system and appurtenances as well as facility systems that use potable water. Fort Shafter needs a reliable and resilient water system to support its critical operations that occur on the installation.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 10 U.S.C. Chapter 169.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES
Safe Streets for All;
Project Recipient: City & County of Honolulu, Department of Transportation Services
Recipient Address: 711 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Suite 1600, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
Amount Requested: $10,000,000
Project Description: The Safe Streets for All Program is a new undertaking by the City and County of Honolulu’s Complete Streets Office to design and construct high-priority walkways (sidewalks) as recommended in the recently adopted Oahu Pedestrian Plan (2022). According the most current Census data, on Oahu only 5.6% of commuters walk to work and 7.2% use public transit, but the lack of sidewalks is a large inhibiting factor – only 57% of streets on Oahu have a walkway on both sides of the street. In fact, the City and County of Honolulu is missing over 900 miles of walkways on the local roadway system. Because completing all missing walkways on city roadways would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, the Oahu Pedestrian Plan prioritizes $101 million of top-tier walkway improvements with the highest need along busy, high-traffic streets and in school zones. This first phase of the project will construct sidewalks in key areas that will save lives, reduce traffic and encourage a more healthy lifestyle for countless residents on Oahu.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The funding would be used to design and construct high-priority walkways (sidewalks) as recommended in the recently adopted O‘ahu Pedestrian Plan (2022). The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will save lives, reduce traffic and encourage a more healthy lifestyle for countless residents through the construction of a transit capital project supported by the local government.
Recipient Address: 91-610 Maunakapu St, Ewa Beach, HI 96706
Amount Requested: $940,600
Project Description: The funding would be used to provide an outdoor multi-purpose community facility that will support a wide range of activities. It will support meal distributions, special events, Young Athlete Play Days, fitness classes, blood drives and other community events and services. The project would also include a gazebo and fencing, along with sports equipment and bleachers.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the construction and installation of an outdoor multipurpose community facility will offer a safe place for individuals with intellectual disabilities, their unified partners and families, who are often economically disadvantaged to participate in community events.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by section 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(2).
Project Description: Hale Aloha is a 12-unit apartment building in Honolulu that help single mothers with children who need stable and affordable housing. It is designed to support two categories of clients. One is expected mothers transitioning from the Mary Jane Program, which provides a supportive and structured living environment for pregnant women who are at risk for homelessness or in an unsupportive environment, to transitional housing at Hale Aloha. The other is to assist single parents who are struggling to maintain permanent housing, are currently homeless, at risk of homelessness, have a long history of homelessness or seeking other housing options due to domestic violence. Hale Aloha was built in 1961 and is in desperate need of repairs. The planned renovations include upgrading the units’ electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Additionally, the planned renovations will address serious safety concerns such as asbestos, faulty sanitary system piping and smoke alarms.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The funding would be used for renovations of the 12-unit apartment to include the units’ electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Additionally, the renovations will address serious safety concerns such as asbestos and faulty sanitary system piping. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will increase access to affordable housing for single mothers and their children through the rehabilitation of buildings.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4).
Project Recipient: Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i
Recipient Address: 2119 North King Street, Ste 202, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 96819
Amount Requested: $1,500,000
Project Description: Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii is a premiere mentoring program in Hawaii. It needs a new headquarters that can provide space for its youth programs, support community and family workshops and act as a hub for mentoring services. To achieve this vision, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii needs Congressional assistance to purchase and renovate a 7,400 square foot building that can support this wide range of activities. The identified building’s first floor will be dedicated to youth and family services. The second floor will provide meeting and work spaces. The third floor is a rooftop that will eventually become a meeting space and support youth programs. The headquarters building would be centrally located with convenient access for major bus lines and two planned mass transit rail stations. For families traveling by car, the headquarters will be located near the island’s major freeway, and the property will offer 10 parking stalls open to all visitors.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The funding would be used for the acquisition and renovation of a new headquarters building that will provide space for youth programs, support community and family workshops and act as a hub for mentoring services. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it meets a compelling local need to provide mentoring programs for youth through the acquisition and renovation of necessary facilities.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by section 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(2).
Project Recipient: Goodwill Hawaii
Recipient Address: 1075 South Beretania, Honolulu, HI 96814
Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Project Description: The funding would be used for the installation of a rooftop carport for the center's parking lot as well as the renovation of the parking tarmac and installation of new safety guardrails. Funding will repair leakage of rainwater into the facility and allow for the installation of a previously acquired photovoltaic system. This would lead to approximately $200,000 in savings annually on energy costs which can instead be directed to providing and improving community services.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it meets a compelling local need to provide career training services through reconstruction and rehabilitation of buildings.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4).
Project Recipient: Feeding Hawai‘i Together
Recipient Address: 2522 Rose Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96819
Amount Requested: $1,250,000
Project Description: This project seeks to make a number of improvement to enhance its operation. This project will replace the over 20 year old walk-in unit, reinforce the floor to hold the new unit, repair leaks in the floor caused by uneven irrigation services, improve warehouse ventilation to keep food at a safe temperature, replace bathroom toilets to make them usable, repair leaks in roof and generally bring it to satisfactory condition to protect the new equipment, install a solar system on roof to help power the equipment, and replace aged shelving units to support pallets of food delivered by forklifts. Feeding Hawaii Together meets a compelling local need by serving individuals who are food insecure. The Pantry also has a proven track record – serving over 95,000 individuals in 2022.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will improve and expand daily access to food security for those in need through the rehabilitation of buildings and other improvements.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program: 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(1), 5305(a)(2) and 5305(a)(4).
Waikīkī Beach Ecosystem Restoration and Coastal Risk Management
Project Recipient: United States Army Corps of Engineers
Recipient Address: 230 Otake Street, Fort Shafter, HI 96858
Amount Requested: $200,000
Project Description: This funding will commence a USACE new start investigation to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate alternatives to reduce erosion and coastal storm risk that are threatening vital infrastructure, the ecosystem and the economy in Hawaii.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because without beach improvements and maintenance, sea level rise is likely to result in significant, if not total, beach loss in Waikiki with an estimated economic loss of $50 million to $150 million per hectare. Preserving, restoring and maintaining these resources are of critical importance to O'ahu's economic, social, cultural and environmental sectors.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by section 8201(a)(26) of Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-347).
Project Description: This funding will allow the Hawai' i Division of Aquatic Resources to establish a LIMU to maintain a variety of stocks of native seaweed (limu) in a secure laboratory setting and maintain these stocks for distribution to qualified limu growers. This project will maintain a repository of culturally and ecologically important limu for seed stock.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will support native limu restoration for cultural and ecosystem benefits, support community-based restoration efforts, support commercial and noncommercial aquaculture ventures to produce limu and add to the food production of Hawai'i.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. § 1451 et seq).
Project Description: UH DPS is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of over 18,000 students on University of Hawaii’s campus. This project will allow UH DPS to build a platform that can support the integration of security camera feeds, alarm and emergency notifications from surrounding areas and community partners. This project will fund the purchase of necessary equipment including cameras, sensors and alarms. This project will benefit the university students, faculty and the surrounding community by ensuring security equipment is fully functional and able to support collaboration between multiple public safety agencies.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value: The funding would be used for the purchase of equipment to support an updated platform that can support the integration of security camera feeds, alarm and emergency notifications from surrounding areas and community partners. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will ensure UH DPS has the capacity to address violent crime and enforce laws through the procurement of technology and equipment needed to effectively respond to threats to public safety.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) program, section 501 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. § 10152).
Hawai‘i State Energy Office Clean Energy Wayfinders
Project Recipient: Hawai‘i State Energy Office
Recipient Address: 235 S Beretania St #502, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Project Description:
The Hawai‘i State Energy Office launched the Clean Energy Wayfinders program in early 2022. Its mission is to advance Hawai‘i’s clean energy goals and foster new employment opportunities while addressing inequities in vulnerable communities. Wayfinders serve a one-year term working with host community organizations to share information, provide resource referrals, and facilitate community input on clean energy and energy efficiency policy, programs, and project development. These services help empower community residents to get involved in Hawai‘i’s clean energy transition through improved access to energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable resources; improving access to clean transportation; and, amplifying community voices with policymakers and clean energy project developers for more effective and constructive decision-making throughout the development process. The initial cohort of eight Wayfinders serve all counties (one on Kaua‘i, Maui, Moloka‘i; three on O‘ahu, two on Hawai‘i island) following an intense six-week and ongoing clean energy and community engagement training session to prepare them to be trusted resources. Wayfinders serve in low-to-moderate income (LMI), asset limited, income constrained, employed (ALICE), or under-resourced communities with existing or planned renewable energy projects. The close coordination and collaboration with stakeholders ensure that Wayfinders help co-create and implement unique local strategies that enhance and uplift community engagement without duplicating or interfering with other project- or policy-specific programs and activities. Last cohort was funded in partnership with the Kupu ‘Āina Corps. Funding is scalable to include more communities. The $1 million will establish a firm foundation to maintain and grow the program to multiple communities on each island so that others in Hawai‘i have the means to equitably participate in and benefit from our state’s transition to a clean energy and carbon-free economy.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
The Clean Energy Wayfinders program is structured in a way that fully involves, supports, invests in, and gives back to the local community. Participants who are selected to a Wayfinders cohort are local residents of their communities that go right back into working with and for their home communities, with an increased knowledge of how to help and educate the transition to a clean energy and carbon-free economy. Hawaii, as one of six majority-minority states, and the only state that has never had a white majority, is home to a plethora of communities that historically have not had access to clean energy resources or education. Further, as a state that relies on shipping imports to survive, the overwhelming need to become more energy independent is critical; The changes to the shipping supply chains the past few months are proof of the imminent threat to Hawaii’s energy and livelihood should imports ever halt altogether. Having an educated clean energy workforce that is diverse and truly understands the unique pressures and situation of our island state is of the utmost importance in Hawaii’s transition to 100% clean energy by 2045. The money for this project puts Hawai‘i on the pathway to set an example for the rest of the nation in how to achieve renewable and clean energy standards on a large scale, in a way that truly encompasses local constituents and isn’t run by outside large corporations just looking to make profit. This type of applied development and results-driven research is the type of innovation and application that the country needs to support in order to promote clean energy independence and fight pressing issues like climate change.
Recipient Address: 530 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $1,740,550
Project Description:
This request would direct funding to replace and harden 52 fiberglass doors at 13 HFD fire stations on the Island of Oahu that are at risk of failing during an emergency. The current fiberglass doors at the fire stations were installed between 1968 and 2009 and are, on average, over 43 years old. This funding would provide hurricane-resistant doors to replace the aged fiberglass doors at each of the stations and mitigate future hazards.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
The Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) plays a key role in the City and County of Honolulu’s emergency response efforts during disaster. However, the HFD itself is vulnerable to natural disasters because of the aged fiberglass doors at many of its stations. Should high winds, heavy rain, earthquakes, or other disasters blow through the outdated doors, it could cause significant damage to the station and resources within the station, causing a delay in response to emergency incidents. Additionally, if a particular station becomes inoperable due to a natural disaster, other communities will be affected since HFD resources from other stations will be rerouted to respond to emergencies. This funding will mitigate the severity of catastrophic natural or manmade disasters on the HFD’s response capabilities to preserve the operational response resiliency.
Environmental Protection Agency – State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Amount Requested: $1,720,000
Project Description:
This funding will allow the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources to protect freshwater resources. The Department will expand the acres of invasive plant control to target incipient populations of invasive plants that pose the greatest threat to the health of the native forest in the watersheds that empty into Pearl Harbor and recharge the Pearl Harbor Aquifer. The funding will also enable the construction of new ungulate-proof fencing to provide long-term protection of the forest by enclosing areas with the highest recharge rates.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
The Pearl Harbor Aquifer supplies over 60% of the island of O‘ahu’s drinking water. On November 20, 2021, an estimated 14,000 gallons of fuel leaked into the Pearl Harbor Aquifer from the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. This catastrophic event, combined with already diminishing water supplies in the Pearl Harbor Aquifer, has created an emergency that requires immediate attention. Protecting and restoring native forests in the Ko‘olau Mountains will help safeguard drinking water supplies and replenish the Pearl Harbor Aquifer. Protection of the upland forests is identified in the Navy’s 2022 Red Hill Shaft Recovery and Monitoring Plan as a necessary action toward recovery of the aquifer and the replenishment of water that supports Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam.
Project Description:
This funding will be used to relocate the museum’s ichthyology collection which faces critical obstacles. It will also digitize key photographs, rehouse original holotype of the megamouth shark, and fund other key preservation efforts.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
Bishop Museum houses one of the largest collections of coral reef fishes in the world, including the most comprehensive representation of both specimens and color images of fishes from the vast Indo‐Pacific region, including Hawai‘i and other U.S. territories. With the effects of climate change expected to devastate coral reef ecosystems in the coming decades, the importance of this collection – which emphasizes the discovery and documentation of species new to science – continues to increase. . The collection is housed within an aging warehouse building built in the 1970s and designed to last for 10 years, which is suffering severe problems such as a leaking roof and outdated facilities. Collection rooms double as staff offices and specimen preparation areas and are spread across different areas of the collection. To move from one office to another, staff must cross through the collection itself, exposing the specimens to light and other risks. Moreover, the collection has completely filled all the available shelf space and struggles to absorb newly collected material.
Recipient Address: 364 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
Amount Requested: $60,000
Project Description:
Funding would allow the Palace to bring in expert historical artisans to preserve the Palace’ unique etched door pane collection. The collection has fallen into disrepair over the years as a result of vandalism and years of weathering. Funding will also allow the originals to be put on display for the general public.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
Iolani Palace is a truly unique national treasure that houses collections we simply cannot allow to fall into disrepair. Designated as a Natural Historic Landmark in 1962, ʻIolani Palace embodies the shared history of the Native Hawaiian people and the United States. As the only royal residence on American soil, the palace served as the seat of government for the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, the following provisional government, the Territory of Hawai‘i and ultimately the State of Hawai‘i until 1969. The Palace’s collections, such as its etched glass door panes, help tell the story of the last days of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i and preserve a vital piece of our nation’s history.
Project Recipient: City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services
Recipient Address: 650 South King Street, Third Floor, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 96813
Amount Requested: $4,800,000
Project Description:
This project will fund planning and preliminary engineering to design a safe bicycle and pedestrian path connecting communities between Nānākuli and Mānoa, spanning 30 miles. It will identify current infrastructure gaps to link communities long isolated from one another, enabling and encouraging human-powered trips. While bicycle and pedestrian connectivity exists within each community in this corridor, this project aims to provide short, medium, and long-distance regional connectivity for active transportation users as well as recreation for localusers. This effort will inventory federal, state, and county lands and roadways and forge a 30-mile multi-use path connecting the island of Oʻahu's densest neighborhoods along the south shore using a mix of new infrastructure, existing roads, and underutilized historic trails. This planning and design effort will provide preliminary engineering towards construction, which can be completed through collaboration of all involved stakeholders.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
This project will help to enhance complementary, safe and active transportation opportunities within and throughout the Island of O‘ahu. These needs are documented in the city’s Oʻahu Bike Plan and Oʻahu Pedestrian Plan that call for investment in Title VI and environmental justice neighborhoods historically lacking the benefits of active transport infrastructure along the proposed 30-mile corridor. The planning, development and construction of a 30-mile super active transport corridor will provide equitable mobility when paired with existing highways, streets and public transportation networks. This project will also aid in the county’s focus to reduce greenhouse gases via the reduction of vehicle miles traveled and increased alternative options for commuters through its Complete Streets program, which is codified through local ordinance. This program requires DTS to implement solutions enforcing equity for all roadway users, including pedestrians and bicyclist who carry low carbon footprints. Finally, because Oʻahu has limited greenfield development space, future development must focus on sustainable and alternative modes of transport other than the automobile. Regional connectivity for bicyclists between neighborhoods requires a smaller footprint and will be key to overcoming existing infrastructure development challenges.
Project Description:
The University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Cancer Center is one of 71 National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers in the U.S. and the only one in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The Center's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through research, education, patient care and community outreach with an emphasis on the unique ethnic, cultural and environmental characteristics of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The UH Cancer Center is seeking Congressional support to complete construction of an Early Phase Clinical Research Center (EPCRC) on its Kaka‘ako campus. This 17,000 square foot outpatient early phase clinical trials clinic—the first of its kind in State of Hawai‘i—would provide Hawai‘i cancer patients who have exhausted traditional treatments with greater access to novel clinical trials across multiple disciplines. The EPCRC would also expand research capabilities at UH and other institutions in the region about the efficacy of novel agents in racially and ethnically diverse populations.
Explanation/Justification of Request:
A detailed economic impact analysis performed by Emsi—which serves as economic data analytics advisors on labor market data for educational institutions—finds the EPCRC will create 100 sustainable jobs maintained by operational revenues as well as 35 to 40 short term construction related jobs per year for three years. The present combined short- and long-run economic value impact of the overall initiative is $51.1 million. The EPCRC project is estimated to produce annual, sustained contribution to the local economy of $8.4 million thereafter. Members of the Hawai‘i Cancer Consortium, which includes major healthcare providers in the State, have committed to ongoing operational support to ensure sustainability of the EPCRC and its programs. Requested funds would be leveraged in combination with funds received from the National Institutes of Health and the Hawai‘i State Legislature.
Recipient Address: 501 Kekauluohi St. Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96825
Amount Requested: $1,740,550
Project Description:
Lunalilo Home was founded more than 130 years ago to fulfill the trust of High Chief William Charles Lunalilo, the sixth reigning monarch of Hawai‘i, to provide housing and care to indigent Native Hawaiians, with preference for “kūpuna” or older people. In recent years, Lunalilo Home has expanded its programs and services to reach substantially more disadvantaged kūpuna in their homes and communities and fully realize King Lunalilo’s mission “to honor, tend to, and protect the well-being of elders.” Lunalilo Home is licensed as a Type II Expanded Adult Residential Care Home to accommodate 42 residents. Currently, this nearly 100-year-old facility experiences roof leaks during heavy storms, which has resulted in flooding and structural damage. Requested funds would provide for replacing the 17,010-square-foot tile roof with asphalt shingles and reinforcing existing steel trusses to ensure the facility can withstand harsh weather elements and protect the safety of residents and staff.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
Hawai‘i is facing a “silver tsunami.” According to the State of Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Hawai‘i residents age 65 and older will make up nearly 25 percent of the state’s population by 2045. This aging population is increasing the overall demand by Hawai‘i family caregivers to provide their loved ones with a safe, fun and socially engaging environment while receiving expert care. Licensed by the State of Hawai‘i, Lunalilo Home delivers 24/7 personal care assistance to its elderly residents and offers adult day care, respite care and meals-to-go for non-residents living in other O‘ahu communities. Lunalilo Home’s facility serves as a central hub for hosting social and therapeutic activities, preparing healthy, nutritious meals, and supporting training for Certified Nurse Assistants, nurses and other essential staff. A new roof would ensure that Lunalilo Home can provide residents, clients and staff with a safe living and workplace environment.
Project Description:
The University of Hawai‘i Office of Indigenous Innovation seeks to establish an Indigenous Data Science Hub to engage students in experiential learning opportunities and foster collaboration between Indigenous researchers and cultural practitioners in developing community-derived, culturally grounded and globally relevant climate resilience strategies. The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa would administer this Hub in North Kohala on Hawaiʻi Island in the historic ahupuaʻa (traditional land division) of ʻIole, which encompasses 2,400-acres undeveloped land, which would offer its students hands-on opportunities not available on O‘ahu. ‘Iole would serve as a living laboratory for innovative, community-based pilot projects that combine indigenous data science and practices with emerging technologies to address the food, energy and climate challenges facing communities throughout Hawai‘i.
Explanation/Justification of Request:
The Indigenous Data Science Hub at ‘Iole would provide for novel research and experiential learning not found at other R1 Doctoral Universities in the U.S. Developing and scaling place-based Indigenous data science provides a rare competitive edge to the national data science sector, especially in climate resilience strategies. Congressional support is needed to provide seed funding to build out technical, planning and programmatic infrastructure and other start-up related activities for the Indigenous Data Science Hub at ‘Iole. The Hub is the flagship project for the regional Indigenous Data Science Sector Development Initiative being developed by the Office of Indigenous Innovation under the University of Hawaiʻi System’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. With infrastructure and personnel in place, the University would be better positioned to develop community partnerships and apply for public or private funding needed to sustain the program in the future.
Recipient Address: 2150 Tantalus Drive, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $888,734
Project Description:
Kula no na Po’e Hawai‘i (KULA) provides a multitude of culturally-tailored programs and activities to the residents of the Hawaiian homestead community of Papakōlea, Kewalo, and Kalawahine (referred to as “Papakōlea”). Papakōlea, which was established in 1934 under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1921, is the only urban homestead in the State and densely populated with the highest proportion of Native Hawaiians living within a single geographic area. KULA is seeking Congressional support for the Kūkalahale Learning Project II (KLP II), which would offer academic supports and wrap-around services to approximately 300 children and youth during a 12-month period. KLP II builds on the successes of its predecessor, Kūkalahale Learning Project I, which shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, to improve students’ educational outcomes, school attendance and social and emotional learning through partnerships with nearby public schools and integrating culturally sensitive interventions.
Explanation/Justification of Request:
Attendance is an important predictor of student success and wellness. Data from spring 2021 suggests that attendance rates dropped significantly during the 2020-21 school year, with high-poverty school districts and schools serving mostly students of color reporting lower rates of student attendance and higher rates of enrollment loss than their counterparts. Afterschool programs have proven to lower dropout rates, close achievement gaps and reduce risky behaviors among low-income and disadvantaged children. The goal of KULA’s KLP II is to address the pandemic-amplified disparities in educational opportunity and achievement and provide for the ongoing needs of at-risk youth through supplemental education services focused on improving student performance, school connectedness and academic resilience. Requested funds would enable KULA to expand and strengthen organizational capacity to administer this program and gain crucial public and private financial support in the future.
Kūpuna Collective’s Kūpuna Support Navigator Program
Project Recipient: Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute
Recipient Address: 850 Richards Street, Suite 201, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $1,800,000
Project Description:
The mission of the Kūpuna Collective is to elevate critical issues, mobilize resources and drive solutions that support seniors (“kūpuna”) in Hawai‘i. Consistent with this approach, the Kūpuna Support Navigator Program seeks to develop and train kūpuna support navigators as part of an innovative and sustainable workforce training program that builds the capacity of the Collective’s 190 member organizations. The project would: 1) hire, train, and deploy navigators to integrate home and community-based services for kūpuna; 2) pilot innovative coordinated care models that utilize navigators in the delivery of direct services; and 3) conduct an impact evaluation for refining the program and ensuring scalable and sustainable service delivery models. Navigators would be directed to identify the needs of kūpuna and family caregivers, refer appropriate resources, break down service silos and improve coordination of services (including meals, personal care, home accessibility modifications).
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed several shortcomings in our nation’s health care system, including the need for better integration and coordination of care for kūpuna. Among Hawaii’s kūpuna population, 80 percent have at least one chronic disease, 36 percent have disabilities, 28 percent speak a language other than English, 19 percent live alone and 43 percent struggle to make ends meet. In addition, Hawaii’s kūpuna population continues to grow at a faster pace than anywhere else in the country. Service silos in the long-term care sector continue to hinder providers’ transition to more holistic care models, create barriers to resources for caregivers and reduce the effectiveness and efficiency with which kūpuna receive care. Greater investment is needed to strengthen the long-term care workforce, including on training, recruitment and retention, deployment and use of technology to target resources to at-risk kūpuna and ensure equitable access to care for kūpuna and their families.
Project Recipient: YMCA of Honolulu – Kalihi Branch
Recipient Address: 1335 Kalihi Street, Honolulu, HI 96819
Amount Requested: $270,000
Project Description:
The YMCA Youth Wellness Program for Mental Health would engage 450 youth, 12 to 18 years of age, in a variety of experiential and therapeutic activities to help participants develop self-awareness, self-esteem, social skills, appropriate coping mechanisms and stress management tools to address their mental health and wellness needs. Program activities would be conducted at YMCA locations and venues where services are easily accessible to the community and take place outside normal school hours. The program curriculum would include nine sessions, with each session lasting approximately 1 to 1.5 hours long for a total of 13 hours maximum per participant. Program staff would conduct pre- and post-program surveys to measure participant outcomes and help them develop strategies for managing their mental health after completing the program. Participants would be referred to clinically appropriate care and resources if determined necessary.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
According to a CDC analysis, in 2021, nearly 40 percent of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44 percent reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the last year. Greater investment is needed to reverse these trends and address students’ eroding mental wellbeing. Requested funds would enable the YMCA to build and strengthen organizational capacity and expand outreach services to target mental health and wellness services to youth most at-risk, including Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have reported some of the highest rates of negative mental health related to the pandemic. Experiences gained would also help the YMCA acquire critical accreditation as a behavioral health and substance abuse treatment organization necessary for improving operational efficiency and sustaining the program in the future through community partnerships, public or private funding sources or fee-for-service models.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Fort Shafter Water System Upgrade
Project Recipient: Department of the Army
Recipient Address: Department of the Army, ASA-FM&C (SAFM-BUL), 109 Army Pentagon, 3E331, Washington, DC 20310
Amount Requested: $5,000,000
Project Description:
The current water system at Fort Shafter in Hawai‘i must be replaced to ensure clean drinking water, meet the demands of the base and ensure adequate responses to any fires. The circa 1910 wells at Fort Shafter are increasingly unable to provide drinking water that meets the Army’s health standards. The chloride content has been elevated above Environmental Protection Agency standards since 2017 due to seawater intrusion into the well. This must be rectified to ensure our servicemembers have access to safe drinking water, a basic obligation to those who live on the base. The total cost to complete this project is $33 million, but $5 million is needed to complete the planning and design for this critical project in FY 2023 to keep it on track for full construction funding as soon as possible in succeeding fiscal years. This project is an unfunded priority for the U.S. Army.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
The project is good use of taxpayer funds because our servicemembers must have access to safe drinking water, a basic obligation to those who live on the base. Fort Shafter also needs a more reliable water system to support the critical operations that occur on the base. For example, the base is the home of U.S. Army Pacific, the Army’s lead command in the Indo-Pacific with the responsibility of serving as a component unit of U.S. IndoPacific Command in a conflict. Fort Shafter has seen significant growth due to the consolidation of command elements at U.S. Army Pacific’s new headquarters, and the increased growth in personnel working at the base is placing an increased demand that cannot be met by the existing system. In addition, continued use of the failing water storage and system appurtenances increases the risk that fire response systems will fail during an emergency.
Recipient Address: Department of the Army, ASA-FM&C (SAFM-BUL), 109 Army Pentagon, 3E331, Washington, DC 20310
Amount Requested: $4,000,000
Project Description:
The current water system at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) in Hawai‘i must be replaced to ensure basic drinking water, ensure reliable fire suppression systems and support physical security requirements for the military's premier medical facility in the Indo-Pacific. The total cost to complete this project is $27 million, but $5 million is needed to complete the planning and design for this critical project in FY 2023 to keep it on track for full construction funding as soon as possible in succeeding fiscal years. This project is an unfunded priority for the Army. TAMC is the only federal tertiary care hospital in the entire Pacific Basin. It supports 264,000 active duty and retired military personnel, their families and veterans. The referral population includes 171,000 military personnel, family members, veteran beneficiaries and residents from Hawai‘i; forward-deployed forces in more than 40 countries; and the following U.S. territories and affiliated jurisdictions: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. It also hosts the Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center, the VA;s flagship facility in the Indo-Pacific that provides a broad range of medical care services for an estimated 50,000 veterans throughout Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. If a new water system is not provided, the health of the veterans and servicemembers who depend on TAMC will be at risk.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
The project is good use of taxpayer funds because if a new water system is not provided, the health of the veterans and servicemembers who depend on TAMC will be at risk. The system is already enduring line breaks and leaks, which will lead to an eventual failure of the water system that would suspend medical services, hinder fire responses and cause other impacts to TMAC’s mission. Additionally, the current water wells are located outside the installation fence line, causing significant security concerns, and the wells are positioned approximately 500 feet below the current storage tanks, which results in extensive pumping utility bills costing two to three times more than the typical design.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Village of Redemption
Project Recipient: The Institute for Human Services
Recipient Address: 546 Kaaahi Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Amount Requested: $500,000
Project Description:
Criminal justice history is common in Oʻahu’s homeless population. The 2017 Touchpoints of Homelessness report noted lifetime incidents of criminal justice system involvement among homeless persons is between 25 and 50%. Despite efforts to prevent repeat offenses in the homeless population, the State of Hawaii’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) has wrestled with the challenges of identifying sufficient services and housing resources to support the re-entry of released offenders into the community. This is due to several reasons, such as a lack of sufficient housing, employment support and access to a clean and sober environment. Funding from the Committee for this project will allow The Institute of Human Services’ Village of Redemption Re-Entry Program to better support the DPS by renovating six two-bedroom, one-bath homes that are available for recently released individuals. These renovations include re-roofing, plumbing repairs and electrical upgrades to meet current permitting standards.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
The Village of Redemption ReEntry Program helps to provide a key resource for released individuals. By providing support services and housing resources, this project and programs like it help to support successful re-entry into the community. This allows for individuals to seek opportunities such as employment support, life coaching and a clean and sober environment. Participating in a community of people striving to reboot their lives innately creates bonds that propel them forward together and put them on a path towards success.
On March 15, 2022, Congress passed and the President signed into law a $1.5 trillion measure to fund the government for the current fiscal year (FY 2022). The FY 2022 funding bill includes all of $8.2 million I requested for ten specific CPF projects to support underserved areas and foster economic, social and community development where a direct federal investment will be particularly impactful and make a real difference in the lives of so many in our Hawai‘i. As required by my House Appropriation Committee’s CPF rules, here are my recently approved CPF requests for FY 2022:
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Nature-Based Coral Reef Features for Coastal Protection
Project Recipient: Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Recipient Address: 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744
Amount Requested: $200,000
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 Hawaiʻi 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.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Waikīkī Marine Life Conservation District Snorkeling Site Restoration
Project Recipient: State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources
Recipient Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $415,000
Project Description:
Utilizing the existing Hawaii Coral Restoration Nursery (HCRN) located at the State’s Ānuenue Fisheries Research Center, these fund would be used to produce large living coral modules for outplanting in a concentrated area within the Waikīkī Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) to enhance shallow-water marine tourism use close to the tourism center of Waikīkī 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 Waikīkī 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 Waikīkī 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 Waikīkī’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 Waikīkī has the additional benefit to lessen visitor pressure on other less-degraded natural areas around the island that are currently being overused.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT
Honolulu Harbor Modification Feasibility Study
Project Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recipient Address: Programs and Project Management Division, Building 230, Fort Shafter, HI 96858-5440
Amount Requested: $1,500,000
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.
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.
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Leeward Community Small Business Incubator
Project Recipient: The Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture (INPEACE)
Recipient Address: 91-1010 Shangrila Street, Suite 306, Kapolei, HI 96707
Amount Requested: $500,000
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.
Recipient Address: 3949 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816-4495
Amount Requested: $500,000
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.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Honolulu City Tree Inventory and Management Plan
Project Recipient: City and County of Honolulu, Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency
Recipient Address: 650 S. King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $300,000
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.
Explanation of Taxpayer Value:
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.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Blood Bank Hawai‘i Headquarters
Project Recipient: Blood Bank of Hawai‘i
Recipient Address: 2043 Dillingham Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96819
Amount Requested: $2,111,000
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, Lāna‘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.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Hale Lauele Indigenous Health and Education Center
Project Recipient: Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Planning Services
Recipient Address: 2239 N. School Street, Honolulu, HI 96819
Amount Requested: $1,057,963
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 Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Planning Services (KKV), Hoʻoulu ʻAina. Hale Lauele will include curriculum and training for community health workers and clinical staff to integrate indigenous knowledge and practices (such as lā’au lapa’au, hoʻoponopono, 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 lāʻau lapaʻau, hoʻoponopono, 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.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
University of Hawaiʻi Rural Health Research Center
Project Recipient: University of Hawaiʻi System, Office of Strategic Health Initiatives
Recipient Address: 2425 Campus Road, Sinclair 10, Honolulu, HI 96822
Amount Requested: $991,605
Project Description:
The University of Hawaiʻi (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 Hawaiʻi. This project is part of the existing UHealthy Hawaiʻi 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 Hawaiʻi. 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 Hawaiʻi, including from the state government, health systems, primary care providers, insurers, health associations and advocacy groups, business community, and more.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Workforce Resilience Initiative
Project Recipient: State of Hawai‘i Workforce Development Council
Recipient Address: 830 Punchbowl Street, Room 417, Honolulu, HI 96813
Amount Requested: $990,000
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.
Signed letter certifying no financial interest by Congressman Ed Case or his immediate family.
Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act Community Funded Project Funding Requests
Red Hill Water Treatment Facility
Project Description: The funding would be used to construct a drinking water treatment facility for removing potential contaminants and ensuring that the water at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam meets all federal and state drinking water standards.
Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act Community Funded Project Funding Requests
Planning and Design for a Flight Control Tower at Wheeler Army Airfield
Project Description: Funding for this project will be used for planning and design of a new air traffic control tower at Wheeler Army Airfield. The existing control tower no longer meets the current operational and safety requirements for airfield operations and has numerous maintenance issues. The flight control tower supports multiple types of rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft from various military services. In its capacity, the tower supports multiple types of aircraft missions from various military services and monitors and supports surrounding municipal air space operations to ensure smooth transitions in, around and through the airspace associated with the installation.
Clearwell and Booster Pump Project at Fort Shafter
Project Description: Funding for this project would be used to construct a new water distribution system, storage tank, clearwell and booster pump system on Fort Shafter in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. This project is urgently needed because the current drinking water system does not meet water quantity and quality requirements. High salinity water is degrading the existing piping and appurtenances, resulting in high maintenance costs and an increasing number of water failures, which prevents the Army from ensuring adequate drinking water and emergency fire responses.
Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act Community Funded Project Funding Requests
Fort Shafter Water System Upgrade
Project Description: Funding for this project would be used to support the planning and design work to replace the Army's failing water system at Fort Shafter in Hawai‘i. It must be replaced to provide basic drinking water, ensure reliable fire suppression systems and bring the base into compliance with Environmental Protection Agency standards.
Project Description: Funding for this project would be used to support the planning and design work to replace the Army's failing water system at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawai‘i. It must be replaced to provide basic drinking water, ensure reliable fire suppression systems and support physical security requirements for the military's premier medical facility in the Indo-Pacific.
