Coastal coalition award goes to Inouye

Advertiser Staff

U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye has been named the American Coastal Coalition's 2002 "Friend of the Coast" and will be presented the award at the organization's annual conference in Washington tomorrow.

According to the coalition, Inouye has supported and secured federal financing for a wide range of ocean-related projects, including recent initiatives to improve safety at Kaumalapau Harbor on Lana'i, as well as studies to mitigate and prevent erosion at Waikiki and other Hawai'i beaches.

Inouye's efforts also include preserving coral reef ecosystems in the Western Pacific and creating the Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, which would encompass 62,300 acres of land and water.

American Coastal Coalition chairman Thomas Campbell said his group "not only wants to show its appreciation for Sen. Inouye's strong support for beaches" but also hopes "these honors serve as a reminder to people living along the coast that, without the tireless work of their elected representatives in Washington, the state of our nation's shoreline could be far, far worse."