WASHINGTON - Members of the Hawaii Congressional Delegation announced today that a House-Senate conference committee has approved $15.5 million to fund one of its top priorities - the preliminary engineering phases of the facility and transit system design of the Honolulu-Kapolei transit project.

The initiative, also known as the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project,  is part of the Fiscal Year 2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which is now awaiting final passage by both the House and the Senate before being sent to the White House for the President to sign into law.

The Honolulu-Kapolei project is among the 21 transportation and housing initiatives for Hawaii that total nearly $76.7 million in the conference-approved appropriations measure.

Senator Daniel K. Inouye, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who served as one of the Senate's conferees, said: "With traffic congestion worsening between densely populated Honolulu and fast-growing Kapolei, this project offers a solution that all motorists can embrace.  More than 546,000 people - 60 percent of Oahu's population - live in the transit corridor, and they say they want relief from heavy traffic congestion."

Senator Daniel K. Akaka added: "I am proud that we have been able to secure resources in millions of dollars for the initial phase of the Honolulu High-Capacity Corridor Project.  The conference report will also provide essential resources to help meet the transportation, housing, social service, and economic development needs of Hawaii."

Commenting on the Transit Corridor Project, Representative Neil Abercrombie said: "This fulfills our promise of a federal contribution for the project - in the theme of yet another promise kept.  Committing these kinds of federal dollars to Honolulu demonstrates the confidence that Congress has in our project.  This is where the hard work of the Hawaii delegation begins to pay off."

Representative Mazie K. Hirono said: "This initial funding represents a relatively small amount of the estimated $3.6 billion project, but significantly it demonstrates Congress' support for this initiative.  As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am working closely with the Committee chairs to secure funds for the project.  And, of course, the entire Hawaii delegation is committed to obtaining substantial federal cost-sharing for this initiative."

Other Hawaii-related initiatives in the measure include a combined total of more than $11.5 million for Native Hawaiian housing, loan guarantees, and community development; $7.5 million for ferry infrastructure or vessels; $1.2 million to prevent the introduction of alien species through aircraft that fly to Hawaii; and $234,000 for housing repair and renovation of the nearly century-old plantation homes in Kunia Village.

The following are the Hawaii-related initiatives in the Fiscal Year 2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act: