{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2261", "Hawaii Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $42 Million In Federal Grants To Expand Access To Trees And Green Space In Communities Throughout The State", "2023-09-16", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=12", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (HI-01) and Jill Tokuda (HI-02) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $42,585,500 in grants to nine organizations to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat, and improve access to green space in communities throughout the state. The largest award - $20 million \u2013 went to Kupu, a conservation and youth education nonprofit based in Honolulu.\n\n\u201cWe need to be doing everything we can to make our communities more resilient to climate change,\u201d said Senator Schatz. \u201cThis funding will help expand our urban tree canopy and mitigate the effects of extreme heat \u2013 all while providing job training opportunities to those who need it most.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs we work to mitigate the impacts of climate change and promote sustainability, this funding brings us one step closer in creating healthier, more equitable communities across Hawai\u02bbi,\u201d said Senator Hirono. \u201cThis historic investment in urban forests will help ensure people in Hawaii have access to quality outdoor spaces, no matter where they live. I am proud to have helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act last year\u2013the largest action on climate change ever passed by Congress, which made this funding possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe funding was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act , the largest climate and energy related investment in our history, so that we can fully seek and obtain the assistance offered for various critical projects,\u201d said Representative Case. \u201cThese grants administered by the USDA\u2019s Urban and Community Forestry Program provides the organizations the crucial funding needed to strengthen Hawaii\u2019s capacity to advance climate resiliency efforts.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis grant administered by the USDA\u2019s program provides Kupu the crucial funding needed to expand opportunities for, and develop marketable professional skills of, the Pacific workforce to strengthen Hawai\u02bbi and other Pacific communities and their capacity to advance climate resiliency efforts.\u201d\n\n\"Communities across our state are looking at the extreme drought conditions and rising temperatures in their own backyards and they are scared,\u201d said Representative Tokuda. \u201cThis USDA funding is critical as we meet the moment and invest in adaptable green spaces, plant native trees and flora to combat heat and reduce fire risks, combat urban heat islands, mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, and ensure long term climate resiliency.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Kupu\u2019s $20 million award, the other organizations awarded grants include*:\n\n\u00b7 Smart Trees Pacific $9 million\n\n\u00b7 Grow Good Hawai\u02bbi $5 million\n\n\u00b7 Friends of Amy B.H. Greenwell\n\nEthnobotanical Garden $2 million\n\n\u00b7 State of Hawai\u02bbi Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR)\n\nDivision of Forestry & Wildlife $2 million\n\n\u00b7 University of Hawai\u02bbi $2 million\n\n\u00b7 Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests $1 million\n\n\u00b7 City & County of Honolulu\n\nDepartment of Parks and Recreation $1 million\n\n\u00b7 DLNR $585,500\n\n*See attachment to read how each organization will use the funding.\n\n\u201cThese investments arrive as cities across the country experience record-breaking heatwaves that have grave impacts on public health, energy consumption, and overall well-being,\u201d said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.\n\n\u201cThanks to President Biden\u2019s Investing in America agenda, we are supporting communities in becoming more resilient to climate change and combatting extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy, while also supporting employment opportunities and professional training that will strengthen local economies.\u201d\n\nThe Urban and Community Forestry Program is the only program in the federal government dedicated to enhancing and expanding the nation's urban forest resources. This is the largest single USDA Inflation Reduction Act investment to date in urban and community forests.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2261"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8771810680627823, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}