HILO, Hawaii – During the dramatic, final stretch of his 2014 election campaign, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz became intimately familiar with the challenges facing the region of Puna. After Hurricane Iselle, Schatz spent a lot of time in the district handing out water and ice to residents without power. Much of the damage came from fallen albizia trees, an invasive that has become well established in Puna. Last weekend’s high wind event served as a reminder that the albizia problem hasn’t gone away.

During a Town Hall Meeting Wednesday night in Hilo, the Senator spoke about what is being done in Washington to alleviate some of the burden on the county – and the residents – in dealing with the ongoing troubles.