Support HB 563: Coal Free by 2023

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Do your part to make Hawaiʻi coal free by 2023! HB 563 prohibits the burning of coal in Hawaiʻi after 2022.

Call and email Representative Takumi TODAY and ask him to schedule HB 563 to be heard by FRIDAY 2/15. Call his office at 808-586-6170 and email him at reptakumi@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Coal is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the world—responsible for one third of US carbon emissions. Burning coal is literally fueling climate change. Burning coal also has a devastating impact on public health, leading to as many as 13,000 premature deaths every year and more than $100 billion in annual health costs. Several principal emissions result from coal combustion, including:

  • Sulfur dioxide (SO2), which contributes to acid rain and respiratory illnesses

  • Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to smog and respiratory illnesses

  • Particulates, which contribute to smog, haze, and respiratory illnesses and lung disease

  • Carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the primary greenhouse gas produced from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas)

  • Mercury and other heavy metals, which have been linked to both neurological and developmental damage in humans and other animals

  • Fly ash and bottom ash, which are residues created when power plants burn coal

Hawai‘i has only one coal-fired power plant remaining in service. The AES plant on O‘ahu has a power purchase agreement that is already set to expire in 2022. Passage of this bill ensures that Hawai‘i will be “coal-free by 2023”, solidifying plans to transition Hawai‘i from dirty energy and encouraging AES and Hawaiian Electric Company to redirect its focus to clean energy and battery storage projects. AES and the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative recently broke ground on Hawai‘i’s largest hybrid solar and battery storage system on Kaua‘i’s south shore, so we know that this company has great potential to also make the transition away from coal on the island of O‘ahu.

HB 563 furthers Hawai‘i’s commitment to 100% clean energy by 2045 and sets another example of the legislature’s ambitious leadership to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.

Past hearings: