MEDIA RELEASE

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono has announced the awarding of $1.9 million in U.S. Department of Transportation grant funding for the design and construction of six National Wildlife Refuge improvement projects across this island chain.

This federal funding is being awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Public Lands Highway Discretionary (PLHD) Program.

Specifically, these funds will be used to:

*Pave the entrance road to Kakahaia National Wildlife Refuge on Molokai

* Make various improvements including paving, drainage, and stabilizing a retaining wall at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai

* Plan and design for an accessible route for tour bus passengers along Kuloa Point at Haleakala National Park on Maui

* Plan and design for rehabilitation of two miles of Mauna Loa Road as well as improvements for pedestrians at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

* Rehabilitate the paved secondary roadway entrance to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park on Hawaii and re-gravel a parking area that serves the Park

* Provide parking/traffic flow and pedestrian safety at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai

Established in 1930, the Public Lands Highway Discretionary Program is intended to improve access to and within the Federal lands of the nation, such as forest highways, public land highways, Indian reservation roads, park road and parkways, and refuge roads.

The PLHD program works to ensure a connected system of roads that serve local, regional, and national needs by providing resources to each of the land management agencies responsible for the 590,000 miles of public roads and highways across America.