Committee backs NRCS program agreement to combine county PONC funds with federal matching for Kealoha family loi
July 07, 2026 | Hawaii County, Hawaii
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The committee voted July 7 to forward Resolution 595 to the full council with a favorable recommendation, enabling Hawaii County to enter a program agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) so county PONC funds can be used as matching funds alongside federally derived NRCS funds for a Kealoha family loi conservation easement in North Kohala.
"I'm here today to testify in strong support of Resolution 595...this resolution is a really critical step that allows the county and HILT to seamlessly combine PONC funds that were already awarded for one of our conservation easement projects with federal funding from NRCS as a matching fund," said Dane Kealoha, director of land transactions for Hawaii Land Trust (HILT), during public testimony.
Ben Shapiro, PONC manager, told the committee the measure presents a "great opportunity for the county to receive or partner" with NRCS and HILT to obtain matching funds to support the acquisition. Nick Somerber, assistant director for programs with NRCS (Pacific Island areas), said a program agreement "does not obligate funds; it just establishes a protocol for how the two agencies will work together" and that NRCS already holds a program agreement with HILT; county participation is required when a co‑holder is needed.
Somerber added that program agreements help define processes for submitting projects and completing legal requirements prior to closing; he urged the committee to consider the potential for future program agreements to broaden use of PONC funds with NRCS.
Council members expressed support for the partnership approach and the committee approved forwarding Resolution 595 to the full council; the clerk recorded nine ayes.
The resolution, if approved by the full council, would facilitate combining $150,000 in county PONC funds with $150,000 in NRCS funds for the Kealoha family loi easement, according to testimony and staff remarks. The full council will take final action on the program agreement and any related funding approvals.
"I'm here today to testify in strong support of Resolution 595...this resolution is a really critical step that allows the county and HILT to seamlessly combine PONC funds that were already awarded for one of our conservation easement projects with federal funding from NRCS as a matching fund," said Dane Kealoha, director of land transactions for Hawaii Land Trust (HILT), during public testimony.
Ben Shapiro, PONC manager, told the committee the measure presents a "great opportunity for the county to receive or partner" with NRCS and HILT to obtain matching funds to support the acquisition. Nick Somerber, assistant director for programs with NRCS (Pacific Island areas), said a program agreement "does not obligate funds; it just establishes a protocol for how the two agencies will work together" and that NRCS already holds a program agreement with HILT; county participation is required when a co‑holder is needed.
Somerber added that program agreements help define processes for submitting projects and completing legal requirements prior to closing; he urged the committee to consider the potential for future program agreements to broaden use of PONC funds with NRCS.
Council members expressed support for the partnership approach and the committee approved forwarding Resolution 595 to the full council; the clerk recorded nine ayes.
The resolution, if approved by the full council, would facilitate combining $150,000 in county PONC funds with $150,000 in NRCS funds for the Kealoha family loi easement, according to testimony and staff remarks. The full council will take final action on the program agreement and any related funding approvals.
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