The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said yesterday it will award $2.4 million to the state to help conserve, restore and protect coastal wetlands.

The grant is a slice of $18.8 million given out to 14 states under the National Coastal Wetlands Grant program, deputy interior secretary Lynn Scarlett announced.

The Hawai'i grants will fund three projects on Kaua'i, O'ahu and Maui, and will be supplemented with more than $3.3 million from the state government, private landowners and conservation groups.

On Kaua'i, the state plans to restore and enhance 141 acres of the Mana Plain coastal wetlands where endangered water birds live.

In the Pouhala Marsh on O'ahu, 40 acres of degraded wetlands will be restored to benefit four species of water birds. The habitat there is endangered by the spread of mangrove trees and other invasive species.

The state also will acquire the Nu'u Makai Wetland Reserve on Maui to preserve. The area has a significant wetland complex, 5,000 feet of coastline and such endangered water birds as the Hawaiian coot, Hawaiian stilt and Hawaiian duck.