Hanabusa Praises Funding for National Park Maintenance

Image: Chris Archer / 5-16-16 sunset Haleakalā

Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa praised the passage of measures permanently reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund and dedicating new funding to National Park Service maintenance.

Congresswoman Hanabusa is an original co-sponsor of HR6510 and co-sponsor of HR502, which cleared the House Natural Resources Committee on Thursday.

“The permanent reauthorization of the LWCF is an important part of protecting our nation’s natural treasures. Over the past 50 years, about $249 million from the LWCF has been used to preserve and protect the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes and Haleakalā National Parks, James Campbell and Hakalau National Wildlife Refuges, and the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park. This Fund encourages and supports active, outdoor recreation in Hawaii, benefiting our economy, residents and visitors,” said Congresswoman Hanabusa.

She continued saying, “This bipartisan agreement will help address the severe maintenance backlog that is hampering operations at too many of our national parks. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, Hawaiʻi has a backlog at nine National Park Service units totaling $152.9 million. I urge my colleagues to continue the spirit of bipartisanship that forged these compromises and quickly pass these important measures.”