Stimulus act to bring jobs, infrastructure to Hawaii

On Feb. 17, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – an economic stimulus plan totaling $787 billion in federal spending and tax cuts. The primary goal of the plan is to spur job creation. In Hawaii, besides an expansion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (food stamp) program, this means funding for energy-efficiency, conservation and transportation projects

Stimulus means $15 million for Hawaii green projects -- Members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation have announced the state Hawaii will receive $15 million in federal stimulus funds for energy-efficiency and conservation projects statewide. These funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 are in addition to $30 million already in early March for state energy and weatherproofing programs.

The Hawaii State Energy Office will get $9.6 million and the counties will split the rest. Honolulu will receive $3.9 million; the Big Island, $738,000; Kauai, $268,000; and Maui, $605,000.

"Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants give local government maximum flexibility to fund the kind of projects that make sense for each location and the available resources," U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie said in a news release.

Stimulus to create 3,170 infrastructure jobs in Hawaii -- Gov. Linda Lingle and state transportation director Brennon Morioka announced on March 16 a list of projects throughout the state that will use the funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Hawaii’s transportation infrastructure will get $246 million in federal stimulus funds to improve highways, airports and bus transit and some 3,170 jobs will be created for Hawaii residents.

The funding includes $125.7 million for state and county highway improvement projects, $76.5 million for improvements to Kahului Airport and Honolulu International Airport and $43.8 million for county bus transit system improvements.

The Federal Highways Administration, the Hawaii Department of Transportation, the four county mayors and their transportation directors and the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization together determined which state and county road projects would receive the funding.