WASHINGTON —Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawai‘i, today announced a more than $2.2 million grant for the construction of a Renewable Energy Resource Center and the design of a municipal parking lot on Maui.

The U.S. Department of Commerce funding will be distributed through the Economic Development Administration.
The Renewable Energy Resource Center in Kihei will get $1,064,000 and help diversify Maui's economy by supporting development of renewable-energy businesses designed to use Hawaii's natural resources. The renewable sources include solar, wind and wave energy, as well as algae and other crops used to generate biofuels.

This project is funded in part through Economic Development Administration's Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund, which is intended to foster the green economy by promoting economic competitiveness while enhancing environmental quality.

The parking garage project will receive $1,200,000 for an environmental assessment and final design for a municipal parking structure in Wailuku. The lack of sufficient parking is a major impediment to existing businesses and encouraging new business development in the area. By eliminating this problem, the new structure is intended to help revitalize the commercial core of Wailuku and speed the city's recovery from the severe storms of December 2007.