From I Aloha Molokai

On April 23rd, the Senate voted unanimously to pass House Concurrent Resolution 189 that was introduced by Representative Mele Carroll. Representative Carroll and her staff worked with I Aloha Molokai to draft the Resolution that requests that the Governor engage with the islands of Molokai and Lanai in energy planning. The House expanded the Resolution to include all islands. In the House hearings, Representatives made it clear that top down energy planning needed to end and that planning should be inclusive and done from the bottom up to include the ideas and sentiment of all island communities throughout the State.

I Aloha Molokai worked with Friends of Lanai to develop this Resolution so that it could meet the needs of both islands. IAM would like to thank the Legislature for hearing our voice and taking this first step to engage in better planning methods. We will continue our work to insure that Molokai and Lanai remain free of industrial wind turbines and the undersea cable. We are also actively working on energy alternatives for Molokai.

The Resolution below is taken from the www.capitol.hawaii.gov website. Click the website link to track how this resolution worked its way through the House and Senate. You can also view all of the testimony that was submitted regarding the Resolution. A big THANK YOU to everyone who sent in their support!

House of Representatives, Twenty-Seventh Legislature, 2013

State of Hawaii

House Concurrent Resolution HCR 189 HD1

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ENGAGE AND WORK WITH LANAI, MOLOKAI, AND THE OTHER NEIGHBOR ISLAND COMMUNITIES WHEN FORMULATING ENERGY POLICY AND IDENTIFYING ENERGY PROJECTS FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII.

WHEREAS, the construction and operation of an interisland high-voltage undersea electric transmission cable system has the potential to improve the distribution of electricity and power throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, Act 165, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, authorized the construction and development of an interisland high-voltage undersea electric transmission cable system to link the electricity consumers of the island of Oahu to the wind energy generation facilities located on other islands of the State; and

WHEREAS, although the development of the interisland high-voltage undersea electric transmission cable system is innovative and seemingly attractive, the placement of wind energy generation facilities near communities throughout the State could have a profoundly negative impact on the communities surrounding the facilities; and

WHEREAS, wind turbines affect the beauty of the landscape, create noise pollution, impede subsistence hunting, gathering, and fishing, and pose potential risks for those who live nearby; and

WHEREAS, residents and community groups on Molokai and Lanai have strongly opposed the construction of wind energy generation facilities on those islands; and

WHEREAS, Act 165, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, authorizes a regulatory structure for the construction of the interisland high-voltage undersea electric transmission cable system, but does not require the construction of the system; and

WHEREAS, the community on the island of Molokai has already begun working together with the State on an island-specific alternative plan to develop local renewable energy that will be less disruptive to the environment and the community; and

WHEREAS, energy projects face much less community opposition, delay, and legal challenges when the community is engaged early and is given the opportunity to work together with the State and energy partners; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, the Senate concurring, that the Governor is requested to engage and work with Lanai, Molokai, and the other neighbor island communities when formulating energy policy and identifying energy projects for the State of Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, Mayor of each county, Executive Director of I Aloha Molokai, Friends of Lanai, Lanaians for Sensible Growth, Kupaa No Lanai, and Lanai Cultural and Heritage Center.