Hawaiʻi congressional delegation calls for support state’s request for emergency funding for Kona Low damage

US Rep. Jill Tokuda, joined by US Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono and US Rep. Ed Case, sent a letter to President Donald Trump to ask him to support Hawaiʻi’s appeal and reconsideration requests to the Federal Emergency Management Agency following the March 2026 Kona low storms.  

The delegation is asking the administration to approve the state’s requests for additional federal disaster assistance to help repair storm-damaged public infrastructure and provide funding for projects that reduce the risk of future flooding and other disasters.  

“The appeal for Public Assistance Category G has been updated with additional data, validating more than $20 million in quantifiable damage, including more than $15 million in damage to airport grounds infrastructure and nearly $5 million of damage to parks, trails, cultural facilities and early warning systems,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter. “This damage includes structural pavement failure of taxiways at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, the state’s primary gateway for tourists, residents, business travelers and military service members.” 

“Recovering from a disaster of this scale is a long-term commitment, and our priority must be protecting our communities from future vulnerabilities,” Tokuda said. “This federal assistance is about hardening our infrastructure and making the necessary improvements to prevent the kind of severe disruptions we just witnessed. We must invest in safeguarding our islands so our residents can feel secure and prepared for the future.” 

“Hawaiʻi needs additional federal disaster aid to restore critical infrastructure, support ongoing recovery efforts, and help prepare for future disasters. Investing in mitigation and preparedness now can help keep communities safer in the future. Hawaiʻi shouldn’t have to face these challenges alone. The people of Hawaiʻi deserve the full support and partnership of the federal government,” Schatz said.   

“As Hawaiʻi communities that were damaged by the Kona Low storms continue to clean up, assess damages, and begin to recover, our federal government has a responsibility to be a continuing partner in helping our state be better protected from future storms,” Hirono said. “This additional federal support will make our state more resilient to the extreme weather events that threaten our state and communities nationwide with increasing frequency.” 

“The updated data demonstrating the severe and continuing damage of the Kona Low storms strengthens our request for federal disaster assistance to repair our major international airport,” Case said. “Our airports are central to an isolated island state, and natural disaster damage to them has wide-ranging ripple effects through our economy and community which FEMA and related federal assistance should assist in addressing.”