Bill to Allow Interest-Free GEMS Loans to Cool Schools Goes to Governor
In our May issue, we look closely at two GEMS-related bills that had advanced far in the 2017 legislative session. Both House Bill 1593 and House Bill 957 would make significant changes to the way in which the Hawai`i Green … Continued
New & Noteworthy: Invasive Initiative, Rapid `Ohi`a Death, and GEMS
Invasive Initiative: The state’s ability to deal effectively with invasive species has been sorely challenged of late, with the rapid spread of the little fire ant, coconut rhinocerous beetle, coffee berry borer, coqui frogs, weeds too numerous to count, and … Continued
Fuel Removed from Grounded Longliner in American Samoa
Coast Guard officials in Honolulu report that all fuel has been removed from the Taiwanese-registered longliner Sea Hawk 68 that reefed outside Pago Pago, American Samoa, on May 26. Rough seas and foul weather caused salvage efforts to be delayed. The … Continued
GEMS Plan Open for Public Comment
The Hawai`i Green Infrastructure Authority has submitted its annual plan for fiscal year 2016 to the state Public Utilities Commission. Public comments will be accepted by the PUC through May 15. The HGIA manages the state’s Green Energy Market Securitization program, … Continued
Engineering Group to Hold Workshop on Infrastructure Sustainability
On Tuesday, April 14, the American Society of Civil Engineers will hold a one-day workshop, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Honolulu on ways to increase the sustainability of Hawaii’s infrastructure and engineering projects. William Wallace, inventor of the Envision sustainable … Continued
Going, Going, Gone: Will Ahi Vanish from the Auction Floor?
The star attraction at the Honolulu fish auction is bigeye tuna, also known as ahi. It is the target of almost all of the 125 or so active boats in the Hawai`i longline fleet. The choicest fish are flown to … Continued
New & Noteworthy
Tradewinds Moves Forward: The company that has been holding for years the right to harvest trees from the state’s Waiakea Forest Reserve, near Hilo, has taken a step forward. The company, Tradewinds LLC, has signed an agreement with the Big … Continued
Fishing Council Relaxes Turtle Limits, NMFS to Initiate New Biological Opinion
How close is too close to quasi-extinction? It’s a subjective question, Melissa Snover told the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council at its June meeting. But in light of the council’s recent recommendation to lift the effort limits on Hawai`i’s shallow-set … Continued
Declaring War on Climate Change
“This is not a cheerful talk, but it’s based on the best science available,” coral reef expert John “Charlie” Veron told the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council at its June meeting in Honolulu. And while Veron’s talk stuck out like … Continued