$49 million sought for
harbor and park fixesThe budget request includes
money to fight invasive species
A state department is asking legislators for $49.6 million to start fixing lingering problems at state parks and recreational boat harbors and to step up the battle against invasive species.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources budget request includes money for park restrooms, sand replenishment at a Waikiki beach and an upgrade on a waste-water treatment plant, according to Director Peter Young, who will pitch the projects to lawmakers at budget meetings tomorrow.
"We're hopeful they'll see these are necessary environmental and health-related improvements that will benefit the people around the state," he said.
"These are all quality-of-life issues. They ... deal with different constituent groups, but the common thread is added value to the environment and quality of life for people of Hawaii," Young said.
On the department's to-do list for the coming year are:
>> $18.2 million to upgrade the Waimanalo Wastewater Treatment Plant so it can meet state Department of Health water-quality standards.All but the invasive-species money would be one-time capital expenditures, funded by bonds, as proposed in Gov. Linda Lingle's supplemental budget request.>> $14 million for state park restrooms, with $9 million going to replace 49 obsolete cesspools and $5 million for repairs and replacement of facilities.
>> $10 million for repairs at small-boat harbors, where 12 percent of the 2,123 boat slips statewide are unusable.
>> $5 million to fight invasive species that threaten Hawaii's agriculture, native species and human health.
>> $2.4 million for improvement to Waikiki's Kuhio Beach, including 40,000 cubic yards of new sand and groins to keep it there.
For the Invasive Species program, Young said he is aiming for a minimum of $10 million a year for four years -- half state money and half matching federal, county and private funds. That should provide 28 more inspectors at Hawaii's airports and harbors, to screen for unwanted bugs, plants and animals, plus beef up existing eradication efforts on all islands, conduct research and educate people about the danger of invasive species.
An Environmental Protection Agency mandate to close all large cesspools by April 2005 is driving the work at state parks. The department plans to repair and restore bathroom facilities at the same time the cesspool replacement work is done, according to Young.
"The alternative is to shut down (state park restroom) facilities, and that's unacceptable," Young said.
At the 21 recreational boat harbors, the focus will be on "health and safety," including improvements to electric, water and waste pump-out services, Young said.
He couldn't say how many of the 253 defunct boat slips would be made rentable, other than noting that 70 vacant slips at the Ala Wai Harbor are slated to be rebuilt this year.