Mayor Roth Advises Residents to be Mindful of Fuel, Energy Consumption Amid Ukraine Crisis

With gas prices now over $5 a gallon at the pump, Mayor Mitch Roth is advising Hawaiʻi Island residents to be mindful of fuel and energy consumption as President Biden announced additional sanctions on Russian oil imports due to the Ukrainian Invasion.

“We are urging those in our community to be mindful of their fuel and energy consumption, as Russian oil imports are now banned due to rising tensions in Europe,” Roth stated. “Although we stand in solidarity with Ukraine and the decision of the United States government to place strict sanctions on Russia in defense of democracy, we must also remember that we are an isolated island chain that the decision will heavily impact.”

After speaking with Gov. David Ige and other team members, Roth said the sanctions shouldn’t have an immediate drastic impact on the cost of living, “however, we are beginning to feel it.”

“As a community working on emerging from this pandemic, every cent matters, and we are committed to doing all we can to keep costs of fuel and energy bearable for our island residents,” Roth stated. “That said, we will need your help to ensure that we are using as little fuel as possible to help keep things like energy, food, and other associated costs down to a minimum.”

Being conscious of consumption, Roth said, adding the on-island supply will stretch as the global market adjusts to the economic impacts the sanctions are sure to cause.

“We are confident that solutions will be found to address this issue and appreciate the cooperation and commitment from the community in the meantime,” the mayor stated. “Every effort, big or small, is valued and necessary to our economic vitality moving forward.”