5 reasons to support SB2774 to shut down Red Hill

And therefore support SB2774, which requires the Navy to relocate its fuel at the Red Hill Facility away from O‘ahu’s drinking water by 2028.

We are asking water drinkers to help save SB2774. This bill is vital because it provides a clear end date to the operation of the massive, leaky Red Hill tanks and provides the justification needed for the Navy to begin the federal funding procurement process for relocation.

The bill has not been heard in the Senate CPH Committee and will miss the legislative deadline if it is not re-referred. Please call Senate President Kouchi and ask that he remove the CPH committee referral to keep SB2774 alive. Act for Oʻahu’s water security future and call and email Sen. Kouchi at 586-6030 or senkouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov. 

You can say something like this: 

“Hi, my name is ____ and I am a resident of ____. I’m calling to request President Kouchi’s help on SB2774, a bill that is so important to protecting O‘ahu’s drinking water. I strongly support SB2774 to send a signal to the Navy that more urgent action needs to be taken at Red Hill. SB2774 needs a re-referral to meet crossover deadline and I am asking Senate President to remove the CPH committee referral to keep SB2774 alive and continue this important discussion.”

#1 The Red Hill tanks have a history of leaking and they are corroding.

Navy documents have revealed that there have been more than thirty leaks from the Red Hill facility, the largest leak of 27,000 gallons occurring in 2014 after routine maintenance. Soil samples taken from beneath 19 of 20 of the tanks show petroleum-based staining and petroleum-based chemicals have been repeatedly detected in nearby groundwater monitoring wells. Every sample of steel liner tested during the 2018 Destructive Analysis Testing showed some presence of corrosion, with one sample measuring only 49% of its  original ¼ inch width. 

#2 The Red Hill tanks continue to threaten our water.

The Navy’s risk assessment shows the tanks currently have a 27.6% chance of leaking up to 30,000 gallons each year and the facility will chronically leak 5,803 gallons every year. Meanwhile, the tanks are located only 100 feet above an aquifer that provides drinking water from Hālawa to Hawai‘i Kai. This level of risk to our water is unacceptable, as none of the leaked fuel can be cleaned up before reaching our aquifer.

#3 The Navy has selected the least protective, least costly upgrade option for the Red Hill tanks while asking for 25 more years to come up with a solution.

Under the Administrative Order on Consent, the Navy evaluated six tank upgrade options and selected the option of maintaining status quo at Red Hill, while committing to ”double wall secondary-containment equivalency” or relocation “around 2045”. The Navy has already considered many different tank upgrade technologies such as patch plates, epoxy and urethane coating, aluminum and ceramic spray coating, fiberglass, rubber and a plastic “bladder” liner, carbon fiber sheets, weld overlay, concrete, ceramic tile, carbon steel, and stainless steel. There is no current technology that can feasibly double-wall the tanks.

#4 The State Department of Health has primary jurisdiction to regulate the Red Hill tanks.

The Department of Health is constitutionally and legally obligated to protect our drinking water from contamination. In 1989 the legislature codified HRS§342L, the underground storage tank law, to give DOH the tools it needed to protect our water supply. In 2002, the U.S. EPA delegated authority to the state to regulate all underground storage tanks, even the tanks at federal facilities. Furthermore, the Administrative Order on Consent specifically reserved the state's right to amend state laws and regulations to ensure that future drinking water sources are well protected. 

#5 Relocation away from drinking water is the only long term solution to protect O‘ahu’s water.

Due to the location of these tanks 100 feet above our water, we should not allow these massive, leaky tanks to continue operating after 2045–even with upgrades. It is time to start planning now for the relocation of the Navy’s fuel. The funding that is currently used to maintain the existing Red Hill Facility should be reallocated towards building a new storage tank system that does not jeopardize our drinking water. SB2774 provides a clear end date to the operation of these massive, leaky tanks and provides the justification needed for the Navy to begin the federal funding procurement process for relocation. 

Support SB2774 SD1: Red Hill Relocation Bill

UPDATE- BILL WAS DELETED FROM THURSDAY’S AGENDA. PLEASE STANDBY.

SUPPORT SB2774 SD1, which shuts down the Red Hill facility and relocates the fuel away from Oʻahu’s drinking water.

This Red Hill bill is scheduled for decision-making on Thursday, February 20 at 10:00am in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and we urge you to submit testimony in support of a clean water future. Only written testimony will be accepted for this hearing.

The Navy’s massive, 75+ year old tanks currently store 225 million gallons of fuel, 100 feet directly above Oʻahu’s primary drinking water resource. The tanks, built for WWII, should have never been built here and are the largest risk to Oʻahu’s water security future. The tanks have been leaking since construction and most recently leaked 27,000 gallons of fuel into the surrounding environment in 2014. Since this leak, the Navy, EPA, and DOH have been “working” on a 20-year plan to fix the tanks to “better guard” Oʻahu’s water. After six years into the agency agreement, the Navy wants even more time to figure out their solid protection plan. Oʻahu should not have to wait 25 years to know that their water is safe.

There is no tank upgrade that can guarantee that the Red Hill tanks will never leak again. The only sure-fire option for water protection is relocation away from water resources. A recent Navy study revealed that the tanks, as they are now, have a 27.6% chance of leaking 30,000 gallons of fuel every year. Knowing this risk, it is unacceptable that the agencies are allowing the tanks to remain in operation.

SB2774 SD1 prohibits underground storage tanks larger than 100,000 gallons to be operated above the underground injection control line —a boundary set by the Health Department that determines where our groundwater aquifer ends and drinking water aquifer begins. This would mean that the Red Hill tanks would be relocated away from O‘ahu’s drinking water and ideally be rebuilt above ground.

Submit your testimony in support of SB2774 SD1 by the afternoon of Wednesday, February 19. Click here to submit your testimony, sample testimony provided below.

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Sample testimony:

Aloha Chair Baker, Vice Chair Chang, and members of the committee, 

I am writing today in strong support of SB2774 SD1, prohibiting the operation of underground storage systems with a capacity of 100,000 gallons or more, mauka of the underground injection control line, after 1/1/2028.

As a water drinker, I am incredibly concerned that the underground storage tanks at the U.S. Navy’s Red Hill storage facility remain in operation directly above a major water source. The Red Hill tanks are over 75 years old and have a long history of leaking fuel into the surrounding environment. This facility alone has leaked over 200,000 gallons since construction, most recently releasing 27,000 gallons of fuel in 2014—none of which was ever located or cleaned up. More upsetting is that the Navy’s own recent study shows that the tanks at Red Hill have a 27.6% chance of leaking 30,000 gallons of fuel every year and that they expect chronic fuel leaks of 5,800 gallons every year. I cannot stand idly by while there is such a massive threat to Oʻahu’s drinking water security and I invite you to join me by passing this much needed bill.

There is no tank upgrade option that provides as much security as the relocation of the Navy’s fuel away from drinking water resources. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify on this important matter.

Sincerely,
[your name]

Top Bill hearings: 2/18 - 2/21

Aloha everyone! We are thrilled that so many of our high priorities have hearings this upcoming week, well before the crossover deadline of March 5th. Many of these hearings, however, are only accepting written testimony…which is why it is so important for you to login in to your capitol.hawaii.gov account and submit written testimony, preferably 24 hours in advance.

Updated action alert/post:

Additional bills have just been scheduled on Friday, Feb. 21 @12pm in the House Finance Committee. Bill number and sample testimony below:

HB2657 Relating to a Coal-Free Hawaii (SUPPORT):

• Aloha Chair Luke, Vice Chair Cullen, and members of the Finance Committee. I strongly support HB2657 to end the use of coal in Hawai‘i by 2023. Although the last coal fired power plant has a contract that is set to expire in 2022, AES Hawai‘i is currently requesting to be able to increase their coal emissions, which makes this bill timely and necessary. Coal is extremely dirty and impacts public health and air quality. Passing this bill makes meaningful progress towards our clean energy goals and helps to address environmental justice issues, as the burning of coal and dumping of toxic coal ash unfairly burdens O‘ahu’s westside communities. Please support HB2657 and help to end the use of coal in our state.

HB2699 Clean Ground Transportation by 2045 (SUPPORT):

• Aloha Chair Luke, Vice Chair Cullen, and members of the Finance Committee. Hawai‘i has set ambitious goals to reach 100% renewable energy by 2045, but ground transportation accounts for approximately 1/3 of Hawaii's fossil fuel consumption and additional progress needs to be made in the transportation sector. Setting a complimentary goal of 100% renewable ground transportation is important to reduce and eventually eliminate carbon-based ground transportation in favor of renewable energy alternatives. I support the bill’s approach to gradually transition state fleets by 2035 and then all vehicles to renewable energy-based transportation by 2045. Thank you to the many bill co-sponsors for setting another example on how Hawai‘i has the vision to combat climate change and I ask for your support of HB2699.

HB1878 Sea Level Rise Seller Disclosure (SUPPORT):

• Aloha Chair Luke, Vice Chair Cullen, and members of the Finance Committee. I strongly support HB1878. Seller disclosure is already required for homes in flooding and tsunami zones and this bill ensures disclosure of the risks of purchasing a home in areas vulnerable to sea level rise. Disclosure is a common sense solution to help address the $19 billion that Hawai‘i faces in estimated private property loss from sea level rise and the 6,500 structures such as hotels, malls, and businesses that will be impacted. This bill is also an important first step towards managed retreat, which is a long-term solution to strategically move away from the coastline to adapt to sea level rise and other coastal impacts. Thank you for your support of HB1878.

HB2035 Transfers 93,000 acres of watershed lands to Dept, of Ag (OPPOSE). Sample testimony:

1. Aloha Chair Luke, Vice Chair Cullen, and members of the Finance Committee. I oppose HB2035, which would transfer 93,000 acres of pasture lands from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture. These lands are critical watershed forests that protect native plant and animal habitat. Hawai‘i also has a goal of being carbon neutral by 2045 and these lands have the best potential for large-scale reforestation and tree planting efforts. These lands are not meant for agricultural uses and should remain under the care of DLNR. I oppose this bill and ask you to please defer it in committee.

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First action alert/post:

Wednesday 2/19 @ 4 PM:

• HB1934 Clean and Renewable Energy Jobs (SUPPORT). Sample testimony:

  Aloha Chair Luke and members of the FIN committee. I support HB1934, which would develop a plan to increase jobs in clean and renewable energy. As Hawai‘i advances to 100% clean energy by 2045, it is important we transition the 15,000+ current jobs in the fossil fuel industry to good paying careers in renewable energy. I support HB1934 to help boost our economy, protect public health, and mitigate climate change impacts.

Thursday 2/20 @ 10 AM:

• SB2774 Red Hill Relocation Bill (SUPPORT). Sample Testimony:

  Aloha Chair Baker and members of the CPH committee. I strongly support SB2774 to require the Navy relocate its fuel at Red Hill away from drinking water resources. These tanks are almost 80 years old, have a history of leaks, are corroding, and are located only 100 feet above O‘ahu’s water. The Navy’s own recent study shows that the tanks at Red Hill have a 27.6% chance of leaking 30,000 gallons of fuel every year and that they expect chronic fuel leaks of 5,800 gallons every year. Meanwhile, the Navy is proposing to extend the deadline to upgrade the tanks to 2045, which is too long and would continue to risk the health and safety of O‘ahu’s drinking water. 2028 is a reasonable deadline for the Navy to relocate its fuel. Please support this bill.

Thursday 2/20 @ 10:35 AM:

• SB2060 Coastal Zone Management and Protecting Beaches (SUPPORT). Sample testimony:

  Aloha Chair Dela Cruz and members of the WAM committee. I strongly support SB2060, which amends our coastal zone management laws to protect against impacts from sea level rise and coastal erosion. This bill also provides important guidance to the counties to help to prevent seawalls and other shoreline hardening structures, which destroys beaches, cultural resources, and coastal ecosystems. Thank you Chair Dela Cruz for introducing this bill and we ask the committee support and pass SB2060.

• SB2812 Transfers 93,000 acres of watershed lands to Dept, of Ag (OPPOSE). Sample testimony:

  Aloha Chair Dela Cruz and members of the WAM committee. I oppose SB2812, which would transfer 93,000 acres of pasture lands from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture. These lands are critical watershed forests that protect native plant and animal habitat. Hawai‘i also has a goal of being carbon neutral by 2045 and these lands have the best potential for large-scale reforestation and tree planting efforts. These lands are not meant for agricultural uses and should remain under the care of DLNR. I oppose this bill and ask you to please defer it in committee.

Friday 2/21 @ 10:30 AM:

• SB2670 Sea Level Rise Buyer Disclosure (SUPPORT). Sample testimony:

  Aloha Chair Rhoads, Chair Baker, and members of the JDC and CPH Committees. I support SB2670. Sea level rise disclosure is a common sense solution to help address the $19 billion that Hawai‘i faces in estimated private property loss due to sea level rise and ensures that buyers understand the risks of purchasing a home in vulnerable areas. This bill is also an important first step towards managed retreat, which is a long-term solution to strategically move away from the coastline to adapt to sea level rise and other coastal impacts. Please support SB2670 and SB2671.

• SB2671 Sea Level Rise Seller Disclosure (SUPPORT). Sample testimony:

  Aloha Chair Rhoads, Chair Baker, and members of the JDC and CPH Committees. I support SB2671. Seller disclosure is already required for homes in flooding and tsunami zones and ensures that sellers disclose the risks of purchasing a home in areas vulnerable to sea level rise. Disclosure is a common sense solution to help address the $19 billion that Hawai‘i faces in estimated private property loss from sea level rise and the 6,500 structures such as hotels, malls, and businesses that will be impacted. This bill is also an important first step towards managed retreat, which is a long-term solution to strategically move away from the coastline to adapt to sea level rise and other coastal impacts. Please support SB2670 and SB2671.

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Help us advance good environmental policies and stop bad bills by logging in to your capitol.hawaii.gov account and submitting written testimony on these top priority bills. Mahalo!

First Lateral bill updates

The Sierra Club of Hawai‘i is monitoring hundreds of environmental bills in the 2020 session, but we are focusing on a few key issues relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation, replacing dirty energy with clean renewable sources, and protecting soil, freshwater resources, and lands. We just passed the first lateral deadline, here’s a breakdown of what on our priority list is still moving:

Sea Level Rise:

1. Requires mandatory seller/purchaser disclosures in real estate transactions within sea level rise exposure areas (Support): HB1878, SB2670, SB2671

2. Amends Chapter 205A - Hawai‘i’s Coastal Zone Management Act to protect beaches and give guidance for county planning (Support): SB2060.

Water:

1. Protecting O‘ahu’s drinking water from the Navy’s Red Hill fuel tanks (Support): SB2774

2. Extending the issuance of revocable permits to divert stream water and allowing for direct negotiation of water leases (Oppose): HB2677

Energy and Transportation:

1. Ensure that Hawai‘i’s last coal-fired power plant closes in 2022 to make Hawai‘i “Coal Free by 2023” (Support): HB2657.

2. Establishing 100% clean transportation goals by 2045 (Support): HB2699.

Healthy Soils (O‘ahu Group priority):

1. Cover crop reimbursement pilot program (Support): HB2167, SB2704.

2. DOFAW tree stock bills (Support): HB2160, SB2531.

Land Use:

1. Weakens the authority of Land Use Commission in rezoning agricultural lands for “affordable” housing development (Oppose): SB2620, SB3104, HB2542.

Star-Advertiser poll: 73% agree with SB2774 to relocate Red Hill fuel by 2028

Yesterday, the Star-Advertiser’s Big Q Poll had a question on SB2774- a bill we STRONGLY SUPPORT that would shut down the Red Hill fuel tanks and require the relocation of the Navy’s fuel away from drinking water resources by 2028.

454 of 621 responses, or 73% of those polled, either agreed or strongly agreed with this bill:

Although this is not a scientific poll (view the results here), it reinforces the widespread support for relocating the Navy’s fuel. This support was also evident during the November 2019 public meeting in Moanalua, in which hundreds of residents filled the Moanalua Middle School cafeteria and around 50 people public testified in opposition to the Navy’s current plan for Red Hill.

SB2774 has already received over 100 pages in testimony in its first hearing and now heads to the Senate CPH committee. Notably, our State Department of Health supports the bill, agreeing that in the long term, the Navy’s fuel should not remain in WWII era tanks that sit 100 feet above O‘ahu’s primary drinking water aquifer.

Priority Bills Update

The Sierra Club of Hawai‘i is monitoring hundreds of environmental bills in the 2020 session, but we are focusing on a few key issues relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation, replacing dirty energy with clean renewable sources, and protecting soil, freshwater resources, and lands. Since session started, we have testified on 32 bills. We just passed the triple referral bill deadline, here’s a breakdown of what on our priority list is still moving:

Sea Level Rise:

1. Requires mandatory seller/purchaser disclosures in real estate transactions within sea level rise exposure areas (Support): HB1878, SB2534, SB2670, SB2671

2. Amends Chapter 205A - Hawai‘i’s Coastal Zone Management Act to protect beaches and give guidance for county planning (Support): HB549, SB393, SB1113. HB1848, SB2060.

Water:

1. Extending the issuance of revocable permits to divert stream water and allowing for direct negotiation of water leases (Oppose): HB2677

2. Protecting O‘ahu’s drinking water from the Navy’s Red Hill fuel tanks (Support): SB2774

Energy and Transportation:

1. Ensure that Hawai‘i’s last coal-fired power plant closes in 2022 to make Hawai‘i “Coal Free by 2023” (Support): SB700, HB2657, SB2366.

2. Establishing 100% clean transportation goals by 2045 (Support): HB2699.

Healthy Soils (O‘ahu Group priority):

1. Cover crop reimbursement pilot program (Support): HB2167, SB2704.

2. DOFAW tree stock bills (Support): HB2160, SB2531.

Land Use:

1. Weakens the authority of Land Use Commission in rezoning agricultural lands for “affordable” housing development (Oppose): SB3104, HB2542.

Unfortunately, some of our priorities have been deferred for this session:

• HB2154- Prohibit the harvesting of aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes to protect reef ecosystems (Hawaii Island Group priority).

• HB2194- Updating Hawai‘i’s Coastal Zone Management Act to protect beaches.

Support SB2774 to shut down Red Hill and relocate the fuel

SUPPORT SB2774, which shuts down the Red Hill facility and relocates the fuel away from Oʻahu’s drinking water.

This Red Hill bill is scheduled for its first hearing on Monday, February 10 at 2:15pm in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, room 224 and we urge you to submit testimony in support of a clean water future.

The Navy’s massive, 75+ year old tanks currently store 225 million gallons of fuel, 100 feet directly above Oʻahu’s primary drinking water resource. The tanks, built for WWII, should have never been built here and are the largest risk to Oʻahu’s water security future. The tanks have been leaking since construction and most recently leaked 27,000 gallons of fuel into the surrounding environment in 2014. Since this leak, the Navy, EPA, and DOH have been “working” on a 20-year plan to fix the tanks to “better guard” Oʻahu’s water. After six years into the agency agreement, the Navy wants even more time to figure out their solid protection plan. Oʻahu should not have to wait much longer to know that their water is safe in the long run.

There is no tank upgrade that can guarantee that the Red Hill tanks will never leak again. The only sure-fire option for water protection is relocation away from water resources. A recent Navy study revealed that the tanks, as they are now, have a 27.6% chance of leaking 30,000 gallons of fuel every year. Knowing this risk, it is unacceptable that the agencies are allowing the tanks to remain in operation.

SB2774 prohibits underground storage tanks larger than 100,000 gallons to be operated above the underground injection control line —a boundary set by the Health Department that determines where our groundwater aquifer ends and drinking water aquifer begins. This would mean that the Red Hill tanks would be relocated away from O‘ahu’s drinking water and ideally be rebuilt above ground.

Take action today:

• Submit your testimony in support of SB2774 by Sunday, February 9, 2:15pm. Click here to submit your testimony, sample testimony provided below.

• Turn out on Monday, February 10 at 2:15pm to the AEN hearing, room 224 and testify in support.

• Invite your networks to submit testimony and join you on Monday!

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Sample testimony:

Aloha Chair Gabbard, Vice chair Ruderman, and members of the committee, 

I am writing today in strong support of SB2774, prohibiting the operation of underground storage systems with a capacity of 100,000 gallons or more, mauka of the underground injection control line, after 1/1/2028.

As a water drinker, I am incredibly concerned that the underground storage tanks at the U.S. Navy’s Red Hill storage facility remain in operation directly above a major water source. The Red Hill tanks are over 75 years old and have a long history of leaking fuel into the surrounding environment. This facility alone has leaked over 200,000 gallons since construction, most recently releasing 27,000 gallons of fuel in 2014—none of which was ever located or cleaned up. More upsetting is that the Navy’s own recent study shows that the tanks at Red Hill have a 27.6% chance of leaking 30,000 gallons of fuel every year and that they expect chronic fuel leaks of 5,800 gallons every year. I cannot stand idly by while there is such a massive threat to Oʻahu’s drinking water security and I invite you to join me by passing this much needed bill.

There is no tank upgrade option that provides as much security as the relocation of the Navy’s fuel away from drinking water resources. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify on this important matter.

Sincerely,
[your name]

Initial High Priority Bills

The Sierra Club of Hawai‘i will be monitoring hundreds of environmental bills in the 2020 session, but we are focusing on a few key issues relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation, replacing dirty energy with clean renewable sources, and protecting freshwater resources. We are also supporting a handful of bills at the state level that have been identified as top issues by our four county groups. Here is a list of our high priority issues and correlating bills:

Sea Level Rise: Sea levels in Hawaii could rise more than 3.2 feet throughout the century. As sea level rises, coastal buffers, habitats, and resources will be greatly impacted and infrastructure and residence may no longer exist along the coast. The state estimates this would result in $19 billion in loss of private land and structures. The state needs to start planning now for the projected impacts of sea level rise to minimize costs and impacts on coastal communities and ecosystems. For this reason, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi will be prioritizing bills that:

1. Require mandatory seller/purchaser disclosures in real estate transactions within sea level rise exposure areas: 

   • 2019 bills: HB565, SB1126, SB1339, SB1340

   • 2020 bills: HB1878, HB2383, HB2384, SB2534, SB2670, SB2671

2. Amend Chapter 205A - Hawai‘i’s Coastal Zone Management Act to protect beaches and give guidance for county planning: 

   • 2019 bills: HB549, SB393, SB1113

   • 2020 bills: HB1848, HB2194, SB2060

Water: From our streams to aquifer systems, we must ensure the protection of our freshwater resources. Hawaiʻi’s streams, in their original state, hold enough water to support the ecosystems—mauka to makai—that rely on them, such as subsistence farmers, cultural practices, renewable energy, and large scale agriculture. Likewise, with climate change and decreased rainfall, we must ensure our precious drinking water is protected. For these reasons, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi will be prioritizing bills that:

1. Uphold state laws, ensuring water is first used for the public good before used for private profit. Prevent efforts to allow the continued use of temporary permits for stream diversions:

   • 2019 bills: SB915

   • 2020 bills: HB2677, HB2357, SB2913

2. Protect O‘ahu’s drinking water from the Navy’s Red Hill fuel tanks: 

   • 2020 bills: SB2774

Clean Energy: Hawai‘i is already leading the nation with our goal of producing 100% of our electricity from clean energy by 2045, but we must do more to ensure the transition to clean energy is accelerated and equitable for all. We will be supporting initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced from the burning of fossil fuels and urging a transition from dirty to clean fuels. For these reasons, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi will be prioritizing bills that: 

1. Ensure that Hawai‘i’s last coal-fired power plant closes in 2022: 

   • 2019: HB563, SB700

   • 2020: HB2657, SB2366

Group Priorities: A Honolulu-based State Capitol provides challenges to our neighbor island group members and volunteers, who need to travel to O‘ahu to directly interact with legislators and advocate on issues most critical to their island. This session we will be prioritizing issues that were identified as important to the Sierra Club’s four county groups. As a result, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi will be working on the following issues:

1. Kaua‘i Group: Require greater setbacks for shoreline development to protect beaches and coastal resources:

   •  Potentially Chapter 205A Coastal Zone Management bills, listed above

   •  Potentially SB2381- Relating to shoreline setbacks

2. O‘ahu Group: Create and fund programs to support farming practices that will develop healthy soils on Hawai‘i’s agricultural lands, both good for agriculture and carbon sequestration efforts: 

   • Cover crop reimbursement pilot program: HB2167, SB2704

   • DOFAW tree stock bills: HB2160, SB2531

3. Maui Group: No specific policies were identified, but the Chapter is already prioritizing climate change bills, which were the group’s top concern.

4. Hawai‘i Island Group: Prohibit the harvesting of aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes to protect reef ecosystems:

   • Commercial aquarium fish trade ban: HB2154

5. Waste bills: Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island groups support policies to promote source reduction and zero waste principles to prevent waste rather than manage it after the fact. Since there are so many waste reduction bills - from plastics, to recycling, to food waste and composting - we will be leaning on partner organizations and lead volunteers to assist in this area.

We are a volunteer-driven organization that relies on our members and supporters to help inform our policy positions and increase our impact at the state legislature. As such, this bill list is dynamic and will be changing as bills progress throughout legislative session.

We invite you to engage with us. If you would like to have your voice heard on these and other important environmental justice issues, please sign this petition to join our new CapitolWatch email list so you will receive updates and action alerts sent directly to your inbox.

Happy session!

Preview of 2020 bill priorities