Officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday the agency has selected Hanalei Heritage River Program to receive $700,000 to protect watersheds in the Hanalei ahupua’a. Proponents of the Hanalei Heritage River Program will use the funds for ecological
Officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday the agency has selected Hanalei Heritage River Program to receive $700,000 to protect watersheds in the Hanalei ahupua’a.
Proponents of the Hanalei Heritage River Program will use the funds for ecological restoration, community development and historic and cultural preservation.
EPA officials said the funding is being drawn from $15 million that is being made available for 20 watershed projects nationwide, including the Kaua’i project.
The funds are to be used to help state and local communities protect and restore inland and coastal watersheds.
The EPA received funding requests for 176 watershed areas from among the 50 states, territories and tribal areas under President Bush’s “Watershed Initiative.”
The Hanalei area was the only watershed selected from four states and the Pacific Islands that make up the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region.
Speaking in a news release on the Hanalei project, Catherine Kuhlman, acting director for the EPA’s water division for the Pacific Southwest region, said “EPA is thrilled to be able to support a community-based effort in the Hanalei Bay watershed that will achieve direct environmental improvements.”
She said the proponents of the Hanalei project have continued to demonstrate that “through cooperation, communities can successfully address critical water quality problems.”
EPA officials said some of the proposed Hanalei River Program projects include replacement of cesspools that are contaminating water sources, implementation of “best management practices” for agricultural lands to reduce the flow of sediment into the river and monitoring of such incidents to document the impact on coral reefs and fish.
The Hanalei River was designated as an American Heritage River in July 1998, opening the way for increased protection of the river and surrounding areas.
Proponents of the Hanalei Heritage River Program have successfully developed a five-year plan and have established a framework for community cooperation and agency collaboration, EPA officials said.
