The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded a $989,477 grant to the Maui Coastal Land Trust to acquire a 277-acre parcel of land on the north shore of Maui, Hawai’i. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The grant will support the acquisition of a site that will be known as "Waihe'e Preserve." This preserve is a former cattle and dairy operation but is currently not in use. The site's natural and historic features include wetlands, dunes, riparian areas, remnants of two ancient native Hawai'ian villages and over 1.5 miles of ocean-front shoreline. Once acquired, the site will be managed as habitat and open space, and will be open to the public for uses such as hiking, beach access and camping. The historic sites will also be preserved but may be accessible for study and educational use. The site will be held by the Land Trust, but the County of Maui and the State of Hawai'i will both hold conservation easements on the site.

“Funding from this NOAA grant will allow the Maui community to manage and preserve their coastal resources,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “NOAA and the Bush Administration are dedicated to preserving the environment and strengthening local preservation initiatives like those of the Maui Coastal Land Trust.”

Each year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA’s goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 34 years.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.

**Editor’s Note - An audio clip of the NOAA Administrator discussing this grant award is available on the Web site: http://www.noaa.gov/lautenbacher/audio/maui.mp3.

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov