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| Coral reefs are not only important in nature, they generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the Hawai`i economy, says Sen. Mazie Hirono. Photo from NOAA |
“Coral reefs are an important part of Hawai`i’s marine environment and generate hundreds of millions of dollars to our economy every year,” said Hirono. “Even as the Trump Administration denies the existence of climate change, it is critically important that we invest in the science that will help us respond to the very real threat of climate change, maintain a healthy coral reef ecosystem, and recover from recent serious bleaching events.”
The federal funding announced today will help improve management of coral reef ecosystems, support greater capacity to enforce coral reef protections, promote increased understanding of the key threats to reef ecosystems at priority sites, and continue progress toward implementing the objectives of the Hawai`i Coral Reef Strategy.
The grant funding is part of a cooperative agreement between NOAA and the State of Hawai`i Division of Aquatic Resources to support the protection of coral reefs across the state.
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| EPA's official portrait of its Administrator Scott Pruitt |
Earlier this year, Hirono co-introduced legislation with Rep. Colleen Hanabusa to address increasing threats to coral reef ecosystems due to climate change.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS ARE BEING ROLLED BACK SUBSTANTIALLY, according to Sen. Brian Schatz. "While we’ve been focusing our efforts on stopping the various Republican health care proposals that would leave millions uninsured, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been quietly working to rollback more than 30 environmental regulations." In a statement released today, Schatz pointed to The New York Times, which called it “a regulatory rollback larger in scope than any other over so short a time in the agency’s 47-year history.”
According to the Hawai`i Senator, "Pruitt is moving quickly because he believes that with the focus on health care and the Trump administration’s Russia ties, no one is watching the
EPA. We have to show him that’s not true." Schatz asks for those who are concerned to sign a petition to
"stop dismantling our environmental rules."
Says Schatz, "When Donald Trump nominated Pruitt to run the EPA, we held the Senate floor through the night to give example after example of his record of denying the facts of climate change and history of undermining rules that protect our clean air and water.
"And when Pruitt issued memos outlining a new rulemaking process at the EPA in March, I teamed up with Senators Markey and Whitehouse to write a letter seeking assurance that the EPA would make decisions based on science and what’s best for the public -- not just for oil and gas companies. Now, exactly what we feared is happening: Pruitt is working with corporate lobbyists to dramatically weaken industry regulations designed to curb pollution and combat climate change.
"There are so many fires to put out with this Administration. But we can’t let Scott Pruitt undo so much of the progress we’ve made," declared Schatz.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS ARE BEING ROLLED BACK SUBSTANTIALLY, according to Sen. Brian Schatz. "While we’ve been focusing our efforts on stopping the various Republican health care proposals that would leave millions uninsured, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been quietly working to rollback more than 30 environmental regulations." In a statement released today, Schatz pointed to The New York Times, which called it “a regulatory rollback larger in scope than any other over so short a time in the agency’s 47-year history.”
According to the Hawai`i Senator, "Pruitt is moving quickly because he believes that with the focus on health care and the Trump administration’s Russia ties, no one is watching the
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| Hawai`i Sen. Brian Schatz |
"stop dismantling our environmental rules."
Says Schatz, "When Donald Trump nominated Pruitt to run the EPA, we held the Senate floor through the night to give example after example of his record of denying the facts of climate change and history of undermining rules that protect our clean air and water.
"And when Pruitt issued memos outlining a new rulemaking process at the EPA in March, I teamed up with Senators Markey and Whitehouse to write a letter seeking assurance that the EPA would make decisions based on science and what’s best for the public -- not just for oil and gas companies. Now, exactly what we feared is happening: Pruitt is working with corporate lobbyists to dramatically weaken industry regulations designed to curb pollution and combat climate change.
"There are so many fires to put out with this Administration. But we can’t let Scott Pruitt undo so much of the progress we’ve made," declared Schatz.
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DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, updating IT for a Dental program, and Bay Clinic’s Breast Cancer Prevention initiative have been awarded $25,000 from Hawai`i County.
Bay Clinic’s Women’s Health and Diabetes Self-Management Education programs are accessible by all regardless of income level or insurance status. "Health screenings are important because they may reveal risk factors, behavioral and health conditions that put you at risk for diseases. For example, risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure or obesity may lead to heart disease, diabetes, or cancer," says a statement from Bay Clinic.
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| New funding for diabetes education for Bay Clinic has come from the County Council. Image from Bay Clinic |
The goal of the diabetes program is to provide individuals with diabetes and their families with the tools to take control of diabetes, safely manage the disease and prevent serious complications. Each 6-class DSME session focuses on diabetes education centered around the cornerstones of diabetes self-management, including blood sugar monitoring, medical nutritional therapy, and exercise.
Call Bay Clinic’s Call Center at 333-3600 to schedule a women’s health and breast cancer screening at Ka’ū Family Health Center or Bay Clinic's Ob-Gyn in residence Hilo Women’s Health Center, Hilo Family Health Center, Kea’au Family Health and Dental Center or Pahoa Family Health Center.
For more information about Bay Clinic’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program, call Alice Suncloud, Registered Dietician, at 965-3033.
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| The Kohala Center's Agricultural Resources Bulletin gives the community a heads up on educational and business opportunities. See www.kohalacenter.org |
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TRADITIONAL UMU-STYLE COOKED MEATS, certified by the USDA-FISIS, is a business with an expansion plan for Papa Mū Native Hawaiian LLC. The Kohala Center has announced that the hui has secured a $6,000 Kiva ZIP microloan matched by the Hawai'i Food Producers Fund. The business will use the microloan to develop a USDA-FSIS certified facility authorized to sell traditional imu-style cooked meats. Visit the campaign page to learn more.
The matching money, through The Kohala Center, is supported by County of Hawai'i and the state Department of Agriculture. They created the Hawai'i Food Producers Fund to increase the amount of capital available to local food producers and stimulate local food production in Hawai'i. Visit kohalacenter.org/business/microloan-kiva for more information about the program. View successful and current campaigns on the Hawai'i Food Producers Fund page on the Kiva lender page.
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| Terri L. Napeahi, owner of Papa Mu, with OHA's EDFP. Photo from Papa Mu |
The matching money, through The Kohala Center, is supported by County of Hawai'i and the state Department of Agriculture. They created the Hawai'i Food Producers Fund to increase the amount of capital available to local food producers and stimulate local food production in Hawai'i. Visit kohalacenter.org/business/microloan-kiva for more information about the program. View successful and current campaigns on the Hawai'i Food Producers Fund page on the Kiva lender page.
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| www.kaucalendar.com |
Stewardship at the Summit: Help cut invasive himalayan ginger on park trails beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Winds up at noon.
Finian's Rainbow continues its run at Kilauea Military Camp's Kilauea Theater this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 general, $15 for seniors 60 plus and students and $12 for children 12 and under, available at the door. For more information or to make a reservation, contact KDEN at 982-7344 orkden73@aol.com.
HOVE Road Maintenance board of directors meeting, Tue, July 25, 10 a.m., St. Jude’s Church. 929-9910
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue, July 25, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.
