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Big Island Algae Biofuel Co Changes Name
HR BioPetroleum changed its name to Cellana Inc. The company develops algae-based biofuels and bioproducts and has a 6-acre demonstration facility in Kona on the Big Island. It formed Cellana LLC as a joint venture with Royal Dutch Shell PLC and became the sole owner of Cellana LLC this January, according to the statement. Read […]
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First Wind vs Pattern Energy Squabble
First Wind CEO Paul Gaynor criticizes Castle & Cooke’s decision give 200 megawatts of its wind allocation for the “Big Wind-interisland cable” project to Pattern Energy for a wind farm on Molokai. The Big Wind project seeks to bring 400 mw of wind energy from Molokai and Lanai to Oahu via an undersea cable. The […]
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Legislature Kills PACE bill
Energy Chairman Denny Coffman said yesterday he had too many “concerns” about how the legislation would work and killed HB1520, which would have allowed residents to finance renewable energy installations through their utility bills. Coffman, a Democrat representing Kailua-Kona, said existing tax credits and private sector incentives already significantly reduce the cost of installing energy-efficient […]
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Lana’i Fishery Mngmt Bill in Limbo
HB850 HD1 SD2 Lana’i Fishery Management Area – This establishes a community-based fishery resource management area around Lana’i, and an advisory committee to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop traditional fishery management practices, and advise proposed rules for take of fishery resources. No conference committee hearings have been scheduled as of this […]
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Hawaiian Fishponds Bill Advances
HB377 HD2 SD2 Relating to Public Lands – This provides state lease preferences to developers of Hawaiian fishponds and streamlines approval process for Hawaiian fishpond lease applicants. The Senate JDL passed the bill with amendments which included deletion of the provisions requiring DLNR to establish a public land trust inventory and public land trust information […]
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Solar Ready Roofs Bill
SB181 Solar Ready Homes – would require new homes to incorporate design elements to make solar panels more easily installed whenever the new owner is ready to take the plunge. This will definitely help to make solar more affordable by eliminating the need for expensive retrofits. Conference committee will reconvene on 4/27/2011 3:40 PM in […]
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Bag Bill Final Conference Meeting Today?
SB 1363 Single-use checkout bag offset fee. The fate of this bill still lingers in the hands of the Conference Committee members. The offset fee currently stands at 10 cents and preserves the plastic bag bans in Maui and Kauai counties, while applying the offset to paper bags. They are no longer accepting testimony, but […]
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Conference Committee Turns Coastal Mngmt Bill Upside Down
HB 117 is proof of the importance of active monitoring of bills at the legislature, especially in the closing stages of the session when so much happens behind closed doors. Just a week or two ago, this bill expanded our Coastal Zone Management Act to require public review of large, expensive single-family homes built along […]
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Council Decides Not to Raise Developer Rates
A study by the County Council showed that costs associated with permitting big developments significantly exceed the fees collected to issue the permits. Despite that study, the Council voted not to raise permit fees. Gladys Baisa called the proposal to raise fees in order to cover costs “draconian”. The plan would have gradually adjust fees […]
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Kahului Airport Hotel
A&B Properties and R.D. Olson Development will build a $16.5 million, 138-room Marriott hotel near Costco. A&B will retain ownership while Marriott manages the hotel. See the A&B press release for more info.
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