HONOLULU – Lawmakers provided financial support for Puna residents devastated by the Kilauea eruption, which destroyed homes, farms, and infrastructure last year.
During a press conference Friday, Big Island lawmakers talked about the road to recovery for Hawaii Island after passing HB 1180 HD1.
“The people of Puna and the Big Island are hurting and need our help,” said Rep. Joy A. San Buenaventura, Puna, in a press release. “They are struggling just to secure their basic needs such as food, water, and a roof over their heads. We are hoping the county uses these funds wisely and will be able to leverage it with FEMA funds. My community has been hard hit and it is very difficult to rebuild.”
HB 1180 HD1 provides a total of $60 million in relief funding: $20 million in state grants and $40 million in state loans with expected payback from the federal government. The state has already provided $22 million in emergency funds for Big Island disaster relief, bringing the entire package to $82 million.
Hawaii County Council member Tim Richards said he came to the Capitol on Friday to affirm to the Legislature that the County Council is unified and committed to using these funds for rebuilding both the infrastructure and the economy.
“It is not just the physical damage but also the economic damage that we’ve had on the whole Big Island that needs to be repaired,” Richards said. “Estimates are that we suffered a $500 million loss in tourism. We have to rebuild that. We are looking at roads, tourism marketing, and jobs. It will take time, but we are moving forward reasonably quickly.”
The Kilauea eruption covered nearly 14 square miles in Puna. It destroyed 716 homes and made over 3,000 parcels inaccessible, and destroyed a school, farms, cultural sites, roadways, water systems, recreational destinations, and a large portion of the electrical grid.
House Speaker Scott K. Saiki said moving the bill through as quickly as possible was a priority for the Legislature.
Senate President Ronald Kouchi agreed and said on opening day he promised that “we would not forget the Big Island this session.”
Sen. Russell Ruderman, Puna, Ka‘u, thanked Kouchi for keeping that promise.
“Mahalo to my Senate and House colleagues who worked so hard on this bill,” Ruderman said. “It is a giant step toward providing much needed financial relief to the County of Hawaii and residents of Puna, who have experienced extreme hardship over the past year in rebuilding their lives.”
