City of Honolulu seeks conservation project proposals
Honolulu’s Clean Water & Natural Lands Commission is now accepting applications for projects under the City and County of Honolulu Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund. For more information about the Commission and the grant application process, go to http://www1.honolulu.gov/council/cbc/cwnl.htm.
The fund was established to protect land through acquisition of fee title or conservation easements on Oahu. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Sept. 30. Applicants must submit one copy by email to cclbc@honolulu.gov and deliver two hard copies of the completed application and a copy of the application on CD-ROM, diskette or flash drive to the City Council’s Office at this address:
Clean Water & Natural Lands Commission
Attn: Council Liaison
Honolulu Hale
530 South King St., Room 202
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Applications will be reviewed by the Commission Clean Water and Natural Lands Commission, which will make recommendations to the City Council. Final selections will be made by the City Council as part of the annual budget process.
The Commission ranks applications according to the purposes of the fund. These are:
- protection of watershed lands to preserve water quality and water supply
- preservation of forests, beaches, coastal areas and agricultural lands
- public outdoor recreation and education, including access to beaches and mountains
- preservation of historic or culturally important land areas and sites
- protection of significant habitats or ecosystems, including buffer zones
- conservation of land in order to reduce erosion, floods, landslides and runoff
- acquisition of public access to public land and open space
The Commission also considers factors such as the degree of urgency, financial support from other sources, and how a proposed project relates to the city’s existing budgetary or other priorities.
In 2006, Honolulu voters approved a charter amendment that set aside a portion of real property tax revenues for land conservation. In 2007, the Council established the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund and the Commission, which advises the City Council on the use and expenditure of these funds. The Council encourages the public to work with the Commission through the application process and to provide input that will assist it in making its recommendations.
So far, the City Council has approved six Oahu land conservation projects: Kukaniloko; Sunset Ranch; Honouliuli Preserve; Kunia Agricultural Research Station; the Fong Plantation; and the Hawea Heiau/Keawawa wetland. The Sunset Ranch conservation project received $600,000 from the fund in fiscal year 2010.
