STATE SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ABOUT STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND ANNUAL GRANTS

DLNR to hold public meeting on annual preservation goals
HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will hold a public information meeting to provide the public an opportunity to comment on the State Historic Preservation Fund annual grant program.

The meeting will take place on Thursday, March 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the DHHL Hale Pono‘i building, 91-5420 Kapolei Parkway, in Kapolei.
Discussion will focus on whether the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) should focus on developing and implementing a Statewide Historic Preservation Plan, identifying thematic resources, or providing training on how to nominate sites to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The State Historic Preservation Division developed a prioritized action plan for its annual Historic Preservation Fund grant application for Federal fiscal year 2009. The annual work plan identifies what the division expects to accomplish between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009. For FY 2009 the SHPD has identified the following priorities:

· Produce and implement a statewide Historic Preservation Plan
· Increase public education and outreach
· Nominate significant sites to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places

“We’re asking the public for their input on the annual grant program and to let us know what other issues they feel the division should focus on,” said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR Chairperson and State Historic Preservation Officer.

SHPD receives about $500,000 annually from Historic Preservation Fund Grants from the U .S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, to implement activities related to the identification, evaluation, registration, treatment, and protection of historic and archaeological resources. The State provides a 40 percent match to the Federal funds. The Division is required to have activity in each of the following program areas:
Statewide Historic Preservation Plan, Identification and Inventory of Cultural Resources, National Register Nominations, Review and Compliance of Federal and local land modification projects, Certified Local Government Preservation Program, Preservation Tax Incentives, Public Education and other activities.

The following items are not considered eligible for federal grant funding and therefore will not be discussed:
· Burial Sites Program and Island Burials Councils
· Building Permits

For more information interested persons may contact Randolph Lee at 692-8015 Written comments are due by March 31, 2009, and may be sent to:
State Historic Preservation Division
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Attention: Randolph Lee
Kakuhihewa Building
601 Kamokila Blvd., Suite 555
Kapolei, Hawai`i 96707
Fax: (808) 692-8020
Or via email to: Randolph.M.Lee@hawaii.gov