Each year, major developments occur in Hawai‘i’s sustainability arena. Some actions push us forward, some don’t. Here’s a look at recent milestones across the state.
Setbacks: Slowing Our Progress
A Bright Spot That Needs Funds
Created by the passage of H.B. 2182 and signed into law by Governor Ige in 2018, the 19-member Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force (GHGSTF) is responsible for a gamut of tasks to help reduce Hawai‘i’s contribution to global climate change—from establishing a baseline for greenhouse gas emissions within Hawai‘i to identifying policy options to incentivize farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices. Unfortunately, the Task Force did not receive funding from the 2019 Legislature as it did the first year it was established. What legislators did do, however, was designate a means to fund the GHGSTF, via the Energy Security Special Fund. In the 2019 – 2021 biennium budget, submitted in December 2019, Gov. David Ige has requested to use $200,000 of barrel tax money to support the GHGSTF. Next session, it’s critical that funds are appropriated to execute studies and pilot projects to meet the state’s goal to be carbon neutral before 2045. (What’s carbon sequestration anyway? It’s the process of capturing and storing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide—and it’s accomplished through practices such as planting trees and modifying farming practices.)
Putting on the Breaks
In 2019, the Legislature passed S.B. 409, which tacks an additional $50 annual registration fee on electric and alternative fuel vehicles. The reason? The Department of Transportation (DOT) testified that because the cars are more fuel efficient, owners aren’t paying their share of the state gas tax collected at the pump, which goes towards the upkeep of Hawai‘i’s roads and bridges. Those opposed to the law say the new fee stunts the acceleration of electric vehicle adoption at a time when the state is aiming to transition to clean transportation, and that drivers of gas vehicles aren’t paying their share for the harm those emissions impose on the environment and health. What’s more, the DOT is exploring a switch from the current pay-at-the-pump fuel system to a “road usage fee” where owners would pay for miles driven. The proposed change could increase taxes on alternative fuel vehicles and reduce taxes on gas-guzzlers, like trucks and SUVs.