Hirono Secures $21 Mil for HVO

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono helped secure federal funding for the construction of a new US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field station within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The $21 million project was included in the year-end spending package, which is making its way through Congress.

The field station is instrumental for HVO to monitor changes and trends at Kilauea and Mauna Loa – both of which are classified as very-high-threat volcanoes under the National Volcano Early Warning System.

“Scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory are at the front lines of monitoring, responding to, and protecting us from volcanic activity. Our state saw this first hand last year as HVO scientists worked around the clock to provide constant information about the Kilauea eruption,” Hirono said. “This significant federal investment will support ongoing HVO monitoring at Kilauea and Mauna Loa, and I will continue to advocate for federal resources to support their crucial mission.”