HONOLULU – Gov. Linda Lingle has released $317,900 for improvements to Hawai'i Department of Agriculture facilities in Hilo and Kahului, including air-conditioning upgrades and re-roofing.

Hilo Plant Industry Facility: Lingle released $167,900 to improve the facility's air-conditioning system. The project involves replacing outdoor condensing units, indoor fan coil units, ductwork and refrigerant piping. The governor previously released $65,317 for project design and construction.

The Hilo facility houses plant quarantine, plant pest control and pesticides program staff, along with a property manager from the Agricultural Resource Management Division who handles leased agricultural lands on the Big Island, and various clerical support staff.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in November 2008.

Kahului Facility: Lingle released $150,000 in design and construction funds to replace the roofs of the facility's three buildings. The roofs are approximately 17 years old and suffering from prolonged exposure to salt-laden trade winds.

The facility's main office building houses staff from the Plant Industry, Quality Assurance, Animal Industry and Agricultural Development divisions, as well as the Administrative Services Office. The other buildings are mainly used for plant quarantine.

Design is scheduled to be completed in July 2008. Construction is scheduled to be completed in March 2009.