WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement on funding for the Native Hawaiian community in the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed the Senate last Sunday.
“For the first time ever, the federal government will directly support Native Hawaiian-led climate action,” said Chairman Schatz. “This historic funding recognizes the importance of Native Hawaiian traditional knowledge and stewardship in developing effective climate solutions, upholds the federal trust responsibility, and will help the Native Hawaiian community build on its existing climate resiliency work.”
The Inflation Reduction Act, which Schatz voted to pass, provides $25 million to the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations at the Department of the Interior for Native Hawaiian climate resilience and adaptation activities.
Native Hawaiian-serving non-profits may also be eligible to receive additional funding from the bill for coastal community climate resilience, forest restoration and conservation, deployment of zero-emission technologies, and environmental and climate justice block grants.
Source: The Garden Island
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