Hawaii
Chapter
2008
Legislative Session
Wrap-up and final actions
The good news: the bill to require that all new homes have solar water heaters passed unanimously in the House and with only two dissenting votes in the Senate (Sens. Sam Slom and Gordon Trimble). The new solar roofs bill, SB 644, now goes to the Governor for her signature. Solar water heaters shave up to 40 percent from a home’s electricity bill and likely reduce residential greenhouse gas emissions by over 12,000 tons additionally each year. The measure is also a boon to the clean energy industry locally, as dozens of new jobs will be created, standards for performance and quality of solar systems will be codifed in law, and the 35% tax credit for retrofitting existing homes will remain in place. When Governor Lingle signs the bill into law, Hawaii will be the first state in the nation with such a progressive clean energy policy. What can you do now?
- Please contact the Governor and ask her to sign SB 644, the Solar Roofs bill, into law: 586-0034, governor.lingle@hawaii.gov. Building all new homes with solar up front is a necessary step to achieving her goal of 70% clean energy by 2030.
- Let the legislature know you are happy with their courageous support for this landmark policy. Click here to send an email to all, or contact legislators individually from the list .
Now the bad news: The farmland sprawl bill, SB 2646, narrowly passed last Thursday. The measure could open up hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural lands statewide for sprawling development. Heavy lobbying by the developer’s Land Use Research Foundation and large landowners such as Alexander & Baldwin tilted the scales at the last minute. Despite the rhetoric of "agricultral protection," the bill allows a large landowner to urbanize a portion of their land in exchange for designating a percentage as “important agricultural land.” Sen. Russell Kokubun -- who voted against the measure -- warned his fellow senators in a floor speech on the final day that the measure would ease the development of luxury estates and golf courses with little public input or recourse. The Senate supported SB 2646 in a 14-10-1 vote. The House passed the bill 29-18-4. Please take action:
- We have a chance to convince the Governor that this bill is a disaster for sustainability and smart planning. The measure is antithetical to the Governor's stated belief that Hawaii must move away from an economy based on land speculation and development. Please contact the Governor and ask her to veto SB 2646: 586-0034, governor.lingle@hawaii.gov.
- Please, take a second and thank the legislators who voted against this blatant pro-development measure. Click here to send an email to all those who stood up to the development lobby.
- Accountability is also critical. If you want to politely express your disappointment with those who supported the measure, send an email both to the first bunch here and the second bunch here. A list of all legislators and how they voted on SB 2646 with their phone numbers is at the bottom (or here).
Here's a wrapup of the legislature's efforts on environmental measures from the Honolulu Advertiser. Below is a news release discussing some of the measure in more depth.
Solar Roofs Passes
Legislature passes landmark bill to require
solar on all new homes; Farmland development measure sneaks by after heavy
push by large landowners
STATE CAPITOL – The Hawai‘i state legislature passed a landmark
measure last week that would make the state the first in the nation to
require solar water heaters as a standard feature on all new homes. The
new solar roofs bill, SB 644, now goes to the
Governor for her signature. Solar water heaters shave up to 40 percent
from a home’s electricity bill and greatly reduce residential greenhouse
gas emissions. Advocates say the policy comes none too soon, as Hawai‘i
faces the priciest electricity in the nation and clear threats from climate
change.
“This is the type of transformative policy that will define Hawaii’s clean
energy future,” said Jeff Mikulina, Director of the Sierra Club, Hawai‘i
Chapter. “The solar roofs bill brings the benefit of free sunshine to
new homeowners across our islands. We are the Saudi Arabia of sun. Every
house in the state should be tapping into this free resource.”
The solar roofs bill would greatly increase the efficiency and affordability
of new homes built in Hawai'i. Solar water heaters are among the most
effective means of reducing the high electricity cost burden that residents
now endure. The solar roofs bill makes the cost of living more affordable
by slashing the electric utility bill of an average new home by 30 to
40 percent—saving over $1000 annually for an average household on Kaua‘i.
The bill received unanimous support in the House and only two dissenting
votes in the Senate (Sen. Sam Slom – R, Hawai‘i Kai, and Sen. Gordon Trimble
– R, Downtown).
Advocates believe the measure will win Governor Linda Lingle’s support,
as tapping clean energy has been one of her Administration’s key initiatives.
Earlier this year the Governor announced a goal of at least 70% renewable
energy use by 2030 in Hawai‘i.
“Achieving 70% clean energy use by 2030 is nearly impossible without the
widespread use of solar water heaters,” said Mikulina. “The solar roofs
bill is smart policy, sensibly crafted to smooth a transition toward zero-energy
homes of the future.”
As with most legislation, the final draft of the measure represented a
compromise. The measure contains reasonable exceptions to the solar requirement
to address some of the concerns from developers and the Gas Company. A
waiver can be granted if there is poor solar resource or if a solar water
heater will be more costly than an electric heater over time. If a new
home uses an efficient on-demand gas heater and one other gas appliance,
such as a gas stove, they can request a waiver from solar (although gas
lines are rarely installed in new subdivisions). For the solar industry,
this bill contains provisions to codify — in law — standards and quality-assurance
criteria that will now govern solar water heater systems statewide.
“Passing the solar roofs bill was the single biggest step the legislature
took this year to increase Hawaii’s energy security,” added Mikulina.
“Kudos to Sen. Gary Hooser, Rep. Hermina Morita, and Sen. Ron Menor for
helping to make this measure a reality.”
The solar roofs bill was the top priority of the Sierra Club this session.
The requirement takes effect January 1, 2010.
But not all was good for the environment at the Capitol today, according
to the Sierra Club.
A measure that could open up hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural
lands statewide for sprawling development narrowly passed in the Senate
after a heavy lobbying push by the developer’s Land Use Research Foundation
landowners such as Alexander & Baldwin. The bill, SB 2646, would allow
a large landowner to urbanize a portion of their land in exchange for
designating a percentage as “important agricultural land.” Despite rejecting
such language in the original House version of the policy when it crossed
over to them in HB 2807, the Senate supported SB 2646 in a 14-10-1 vote.
The House passed the bill 29-18-4.
Sen. Russell Kokubun—who voted against the measure—warned his fellow senators
in a floor speech today that the measure would ease the development of
luxury estates and golf courses with little public input or recourse.
“Support for this sprawl-inducing bill belies the ‘sustainability’ focus
offered on opening day of the session,” said Mikulina. “Given the speculative
pressure driving up the cost of land in Hawai‘i, the last thing we want
to do is make it easier to develop farmlands into luxury subdivisions.”
The bill also provides a corporate bailout corporate bail out to former
plantations and large landowners and essentially provides state support
for further water diversions. For example, a large landowner could receive
state tax support to finance their legal efforts to divert water from
smaller taro farmers.
“We are disappointed in the legislature for sacrificing smart planning
to appease development interests. The House leadership’s pressuring to
pass this pro-development policy was disgraceful,” said Mikulina. “We
hope the Governor sees through the rhetoric of this dangerous bill and
exercises her veto pen.”
Besides the solar roofs measure, at least five other sustainability measures
passed the legislature last week and head to the Governor’s desk. Bills
that passed committee include those to increase penalties for conservation
violations (HB 3177), establish an
electronic waste recycling program (SB 2843), provide for
rebates to make photovoltaic energy systems more affordable (SB 988), fund invasive
species prevention programs through a $1 per ton of cargo fee (HB 2843), and ensure
the “Right to Dry” clothes (SB 2933).
While the measure to allow the use of clotheslines anywhere—including
in community associations where restrictive covenants sometimes prohibit
them—has drawn chuckles from some, their real effect is dead serious:
dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save homeowners hundreds
on their utility bills. Some community associations effectively prevent
the use of clotheslines, denying residents the right to use this significant
energy saver. Enactment of SB 2933 would prohibit such restrictions, removing
yet another barrier to smart energy behavior.
House Bill 3177, regarding conservation penalties, was also lauded by
environmental proponents. The Administration measure increases the maximum
fine for conservation violations from the current $2000 per violation
to $15,000.
Legislative leaders unfortunately rejected a number of good environmental
bills in the waning days of the session, however. Inexplicably, a majority
package bill to set lighting efficiency standards and create a compact
fluorescent recycling program (SB 2842) failed to emerge
from conference committee, despite agreement on the bill’s terms. House
leaders refused to begin conference negotiations on another bill to require
shoreline development setbacks that anticipate sea level rise (HB 1037). Another casualty
last week was the in-store recycling bill (HB 639) that would have
allowed consumers to redeem their bottles and cans at retail stores of
a certain size.
But the Sierra Club believes the solar roofs requirement was the defining
pro-environment bill of the legislative session.
“Rarely does the legislature have the opportunity to forward a policy
that addresses so many needs at once: the need for reduced carbon emissions,
the need to reduce the cost of home ownership and the need for good local
jobs in the clean energy field,” said Mikulina. “The benefits of this
bill will ripple across our islands.”
TO CALL TOLL-FREE FROM NEIGHBOR ISLANDS, DIAL LOCAL ACCESS NUMBER AND THEN LAST 5 DIGITS OF NUMBER BELOW. MAUI 984-2400, BIG ISLAND 974-4000, KAUAI 274-3141.
| Supported
SB2646, |
||||
| NAME | YES | NO | PHONE | |
| BAKER, Rosalyn (D) | X |
586-6070 | senbaker@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| BUNDA, Robert (D) | X |
586-6090 | senbunda@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| CHUN OAKLAND, Suzanne (D) | X |
586-6130 | senchunoakland@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| ENGLISH, J. Kalani (D) | X |
587-7225 | senenglish@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| ESPERO, Will (D) | X |
586-6360 | senespero@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| FUKUNAGA, Carol (D) | X |
586-6890 | senfukunaga@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| GABBARD, Mike (D) | X |
586-6830 | sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| HANABUSA, Colleen (D) | X |
586-7793 | senhanabusa@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| HEE, Clayton (D) | X |
586-7330 | senhee@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| HEMMINGS, Fred (R) | X |
587-8388 | senhemmings@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| HOOSER, Gary L. (D) | X |
586-6030 | senhooser@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| IGE, David Y. (D) | EXCUSED |
586-6230 | sendige@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| IHARA, Les, Jr. (D) | X |
586-6250 | senihara@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| INOUYE, Lorraine R. (D) | X |
586-7335 | seninouye@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| KIM, Donna Mercado (D) | X |
587-7200 | senkim@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| KOKUBUN, Russell S. (D) | X |
586-6760 | senkokubun@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| MENOR, Ron (D) | X |
586-6740 | senmenor@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| NISHIHARA, Clarence (D) | X |
586-6970 | sennishihara@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| SAKAMOTO, Norman (D) | X |
586-8585 | sensakamoto@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| SLOM, Sam (R) | X |
586-8420 | senslom@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| TANIGUCHI, Brian T. (D) | X |
586-6460 | sentaniguchi@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| TOKUDA, Jill N. (D) | X |
587-7215 | sentokuda@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| TRIMBLE, Gordon (R) | X |
586-7100 | sentrimble@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| TSUTSUI, Shan S. (D) | X |
586-7344 | sentsutsui@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| WHALEN, Paul (R) | X |
586-9385 | senwhalen@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Supported,
SB 2646, pro-development bill? |
||||
| NAME | YES |
NO |
PHONE | |
| Awana, Karen Leinani (D) | X |
586-8465 | repawana@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| BELATTI, Della Au (D) | X |
586-9425 | repbelatti@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Berg, Ph.D., Lyla B. (D) | X |
586-6510 | repberg@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Bertram, Joe, III (D) | EXCUSED |
586-8525 | repbertram@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Brower, Tom (D) | X |
586-8520 | repbrower@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Cabanilla, Rida T. R. (D) | X |
586-6080 | repcabanilla@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Caldwell, Kirk (D) | X |
586-8475 | repcaldwell@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Carroll, Mele (D) | X |
586-6790 | repcarroll@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Chang, Jerry L. (D) | X |
586-6120 | repchang@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Ching, Corinne W.L. (R) | X |
586-9415 | repching@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Chong, Pono (D) | X |
586-9490 | repchong@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Evans, Cindy (D) | X |
586-8510 | repevans@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Finnegan, Lynn (R) | X |
586-9470 | repfinnegan@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Green, Josh, M.D. (D) | X |
586-9605 | repgreen@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Hanohano, faye P. (D) | X |
586-6530 | rephanohano@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Har, Sharon (D) | X |
586-8500 | rephar@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Herkes, Robert N. (D) | X |
586-8400 | repherkes@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Ito, Ken (D) | X |
586-8470 | repito@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Karamatsu, Jon Riki (D) | X |
586-8490 | repkaramatsu@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Lee, Marilyn B. (D) | X |
586-9460 | replee@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Luke, Sylvia J. (D) | X |
586-8530 | repluke@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Magaoay, Michael Y. (D) | X |
586-6380 | repmagaoay@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Manahan, Joey (D) | X |
586-6010 | repmanahan@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Marumoto, Barbara C. (R) | X |
586-6310 | repmarumoto@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| McKelvey, Angus (D) | X |
586-6160 | repmckelvey@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Meyer, Colleen Rose (R) | X |
586-8540 | repmeyer@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Mizuno, John (D) | X |
586-6050 | repmizuno@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Morita, Hermina M. (D) | X |
586-8435 | repmorita@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Nakasone, Bob (D) | EXCUSED |
586-6210 | repnakasone@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Nishimoto, Scott Y. (D) | X |
586-8515 | repnishimoto@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Oshiro, Blake K. (D) | X |
586-6340 | repboshiro@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Oshiro, Marcus R. (D) | X |
586-6200 | repmoshiro@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Pine, Kimberly (R) | X |
586-9730 | reppine@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| RHOADS, Karl (D) | X |
586-6180 | reprhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| SAGUM, Roland D., III (D) | X |
586-6280 | repsagum@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Saiki, Scott K. (D) | X |
586-8485 | repsaiki@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Say, Calvin K. Y. (D) | X |
586-6100 | repsay@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Shimabukuro, Maile S. L. (D) | X |
586-8460 | repshimabukuro@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Sonson, Alex M. (D) | EXCUSED |
586-6520 | repsonson@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Souki, Joseph M. (D) | X |
586-9444 | repsouki@capitol.hawaii.gov | |
| Takai, K. Mark (D) | X |
|||