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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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.

Kona Blue Seeks Drift Open Ocean Cage Permit

Kona Blue Water Farms has applied for a permit to determine whether it would be possible to grow young amberjack to harvest size over 10 months in submerged cages tethered to surface buoys drifting freely on a circular ocean current off the Big Island. See Star Advertiser for more Kona