HONOLULU — The federal government is awarding the University of Hawaii a $200,000 grant to study how pollution generated by people on land affects coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday the money will go to researchers at the university’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory.
They will use the funds to help policy makers and community leaders in Palau, Pohnpei, Guam and Yap develop strategies to prevent or reverse coral reef degradation.
The agency says the grant will cover the first year of a five-year $1 million project.
Pollution and sediment found in runoff can smother coral reefs and prevent them from thriving.
Coral reefs provide vital habitats for fish and help protect shoreline areas during storms.