LETTER: Ask Governor to Support Energy Bill

In 2015, Gov. David Ige passed the most ambitious renewable electricity goal in the country.

Ways and Means can continue that trend by passing HB1580: the most ambitious clean ground transportation goal in the country.

If readers would like to learn more about this bill, they can read it directly online.

The bill is important because climate change is a big concern for many people, including students Zoe Whitney, who is majoring in Environmental Science at University of Hawai’i at Hilo, and Skye Hofke, who is a pre-engineering student at Hawai‘i Community College.

These students are also members of the Citizens Climate Lobby chapter that just started up on Hawai’i Island. Citizens Climate Lobby encourages citizens to engage in politics by advocating for a livable world.

Zoe and Skye did exactly that when they visited Sen. Inouye on Saturday, March 18, to applaud her for her support of renewable transportation.

Zoe and Skye are not the only ones who are advocating for the bill to be passed. This bill received 122 pages of testimony.

After the huge public response, Ways and Means has reopened the bill for more public testimony.

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, however, opposes the bill.

If readers feel misrepresented by this, they can express their concerns by calling Sen. Jill Tokuda at (808) 587-7215.