The Hawaii Department of Health received nearly $2 million in state and federal funds to launch a "Polluted Runoff Control" program aimed at reducing the impact of stormwater discharge on reefs and coastal areas.

The Environmental Protection Agency provided a $1.1 million grant while DOH added another $746,000 to implement the program, according to an EPA news released issued Friday.

"Our goal, along with the Department of Health, is to protect coastal waters and coral reefs from the effects of polluted surface water," said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest.

The program is being developed under Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act. Funds are used by both state staff and local organizations to develop and implement watershed plans to achieve water quality improvement goals, according to the EPA.

Blumenfeld said the funding is specifically for "nonpoint" source water pollution control projects and can’t be used for other water pollution discharges or spills like the recent molasses spill into Hono­lulu Harbor.

The PRC Program will be incorporated into Hawaii’s State Management Program Plan for addressing polluted runoff over the next five years, according to the EPA. The plan will identify strategic priorities, establish environmental and program goals and milestones, and discuss how partners will be engaged to most effectively improve water quality.

Recently the DOH used Clean Water Act Section 319 funds to address land-based pollution on West Maui to protect coral reefs. West Maui is a priority area for the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and the state’s coral program.

Section 319 funds also were used for the He‘eia Stream Restoration Project to stabilize eroding stream banks and restore native vegetation along Heeia Stream to reduce nutrient and sediment loads in Windward Oahu. In addition, funding supported large-scale agricultural management to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff in the Hono­uli­uli Stream watershed.