The National Oceanic and Atmospheric administration is doling out $250,000 grants to five states, including Hawaii, to help cleanup Japan’s tsunami debris that’s expected to inundate coastlines. 

Each state is getting $50,000. 

It’s outraging some politicians, ABC News reports. 

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, quickly deemed the amount “woefully inadequate.” He said in a statement that the tsunami created a “slow-motion environmental disaster that will unfold over several years.”

He said $50,000 isn’t enough to even clean up one beach “let alone the type of effort necessary for a large-scale planning and cleanup effort covering multiple states.”

Begich had requested at least $45 million in funding.

You can read Civil Beat’s previous coverage of the issue here:

Japanese Tsunami Debris Lacks Cleanup Plan, Funding

Inouye Steps Up With Money for Tsunami Debris Cleanup

(Photo credit: Flickr – Kordian)