Schatz visits Hanalei, Kīlauea National Wildlife Refuges

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) on Thursday visited the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge and the Kīlauea National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse on Kaua‘i, where he toured habitat restoration projects and discussed cooperative management of kalo farms and the protection of waterbird species with refuge staff.

Schatz, who serves as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has helped secure millions of dollars for the National Wildlife Refuge System, which includes the two Kaua‘i sites visited this week.

“Kauai’s wildlife refuges provide the space for native wildlife and ecosystems to thrive, while also giving local communities a place to farm sustainably and practice cultural traditions,” said Schatz. “These are the kinds of places we must continue protecting. We will keep working to make sure Kaua‘i has the federal funding it needs to preserve its land and natural resources.”

Following the refuge visits, Schatz met with the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce leadership to provide an update on the administration’s efforts to cut federal funding and his work to protect Kaua‘i County. He also answered questions from Chamber members on the new Republican tax law, federal funding cuts, and recent tariff policies and their impacts on small businesses.

Schatz said funding cuts and tariff policies coming from the current administration make it harder for small businesses to operate.

“On Kaua‘i, I had a chance to hear from entrepreneurs about the impact of those policies and discuss how we can continue working together to protect small businesses, workers, and Kaua‘i’s local economy,” he said.

Today, Schatz is on Maui for the second anniversary of the August 2023 Maui wildfires.