(Washington, DC, November 5, 2009) Late last week the President signed into law a key appropriations bill that included critically needed funding to address the looming bird extinction crisis in Hawaii. The 2010 Interior, Environmental, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (P.L. 111-88) had been passed by Congress and sent to the President with $3 million dedicated for Hawaiian birds.
“Thanks to the leadership of Hawaii’s Senator Inouye and Congresswoman Hirono, the federal government is taking the much needed steps to address the dire situation faced by Hawaii’s birds,” said George Wallace, American Bird Conservancy’s Vice President for Oceans and Islands, and head of the organization’s Hawaii Program. “By investing in efforts to conserve and restore habitat and reverse the multiple threats that have decimated many Hawaiian forest bird populations, we can avert the crisis. This bill marks an important beginning