Following the 2023 fires that destroyed or severely damaged eight historic sites managed by the nonprofit Lahaina Restoration Foundation—resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of artifacts and records from the former capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom—US Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Public Archives Resiliency Act.
The proposed legislation would authorize grants to support the preservation, climate resilience, and continuity of vital government records, while protecting historically and culturally significant documents. It would fund public archives, libraries, museums, educational institutions, and nonprofits, with companion legislation introduced in the US House by Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC).
“Public records are essential to the preservation of our history and culture,” said Hirono. “The Public Archives Resiliency Act will help to better protect them from the effects of climate change, including natural disasters like wildfires or floods.”
Government records are generated through birth, death, marriage, taxes, military service, education, immigration, property ownership, and much more. Many institutions that manage these records however, are at risk of environmental damage and lack resources to protect themselves and their communities. When these public records are destroyed or become inaccessible, it can delay an individual’s ability to access key government benefits and services, as well as result in the loss of irreplaceable cultural artifacts.
“The importance of this bill cannot be overstated,” said Janel Quirante, head archivist, at ‘Ulu‘ulu: The Henry Ku‘ualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawai‘i. “This bill provides crucial support to libraries, archives and museums that care for historic and cultural materials endangered by the impacts of climate change. Infrastructure support would allow for critical improvements to aging HVAC systems, especially in Hawai‘i and other tropical climates where high temperature and humidity pose major challenges to maintaining a safe long term preservation environment for archival films. Digitization support would allow for the preservation, access and sharing of our cultural heritage documented on films and videos that are increasingly susceptible to loss from climate disasters.”
“Historic records and artifacts left by our kūpuna (ancestors) serve as foundational blueprints, offering invaluable guidance for addressing present-day challenges and shaping our future,” said Kai Kahele, chairman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees. “The Public Archives Resiliency Act, which allocates additional funding to repositories, greatly strengthens the capacity of Hawai‘i’s archives to preserve and access essential historical records. This support is particularly critical as we confront the challenges of climate change, as recently underscored by the devastating wildfires on Maui in 2023.”
The Public Archives Resiliency Act will provide essential support to Hawai‘i’s repositories dedicated to the preservation and accessibility of historic documents and artifacts,” said Kale Hannahs, research systems administrator at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. “These institutions serve as vital stewards, empowering and educating the communities they support. OHA’s partnership with the Lahaina Restoration Foundation serves as a timely example of the importance of digitizing historic documents for the purpose of preserving Hawaiʻi’s history and provides a foundational framework upon which we build our future.”
Full text of the legislation is available here.