Sponsors (2)
The bill creates a sustained, targeted federal grant program that boosts Hawaii-focused conservation, workforce training, and research while improving transparency, but it increases federal spending and imposes administrative, eligibility, and equity constraints that may limit flexibility, oversight capacity, and access for some partners.
Native Hawaiian organizations, local governments, nonprofits, businesses, universities, and researchers gain a clear, dedicated federal grant program to fund conservation of Hawaii's native species and habitats.
The program is funded predictably at $30 million per year for 10 years, providing sustained money for projects and planning.
Projects funded under the program are intended to reduce invasive-species impacts and increase climate resilience, improving ecosystem services and community resilience in Hawaii.
The program increases federal spending by roughly $300 million over 10 years (and allows high federal cost shares), meaning higher taxpayer liability for these new conservation commitments.
Operational constraints — notably a 5% cap on administrative spending plus 'supplement not supplant' rules and related compliance — may limit program management, monitoring, and flexibility.
Smaller and nontraditional applicants (tribal groups, very small nonprofits) may still struggle to apply or comply despite assistance, limiting equitable access to grants.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive grant program to fund Hawaii native species conservation and recovery and authorizes $30M per year for 10 years.
Official title: To establish a competitive grant program to support the conservation and recovery of native plant, fungi, and animal species in the State of Hawaii, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 3, 2025 by Ed Case · Last progress March 3, 2025
Creates a federal grant program to fund projects in Hawaii that conserve, restore, and recover native plants, fungi, and animals. The Secretary of the Interior (through USFWS) must set up the Hawaii Native Species Conservation and Recovery Grant Program, develop annual priorities and ranking criteria, and distribute competitive grants to eligible Hawaiian entities. The Act authorizes $30 million per year for 10 years and limits administrative costs to 5 percent annually. The program emphasizes invasive species prevention, climate and habitat resilience, population restoration and management, scientific monitoring, workforce development, and outreach; it requires consultation with Native Hawaiian organizations, allows Federal cost-share up to 75 percent by default (with some exceptions up to 100%), and mandates annual reporting to Congress on funded projects.