Support Solar Roof Bill

Aloha Friend of the environment:We really need your help. We have good news and bad news. The good news is the solar roofs bill (SB 644) passed out of conference committee late last Friday night. The final vote is this Thursday (May 1), the last day of session. The bad news? The House, in the most brazen political power play, forced the Senate to accept the farmland urbanization ploy (SB 2646) in return for the solar roofs bill. Now House leadership plans to hold the solar bill hostage on the final day of the session unless they get their pro-development bill passed.
Maddening, isn't it? Let's not let them get away with it. Your voice counts, so please take a second and make some calls or send an email. The list of legisators that need to hear from you is below. The simple message is "Please vote YES on solar roofs (SB 644) and NO on farmland urbanization (SB 2646)."
If you haven't made a call or sent an email yet this session, now is your best opportunity to influence the outcome. THE NEXT 48 HOURS ARE CRITICAL. PLEASE CALL/EMAIL TODAY.
CALL: Your legislator or any of those listed below. Call 'em all, if you can. Calls now are very important.
EMAIL: Click here for an email to key legislators (if that link doesn't work, try this one). Or email them individually from the list below.
ATTEND: Thursday's vote. The floor sessions at the Capitol should start around 10am.
Briefly, the solar roofs bill (SB 644) would require that all new homes starting in 2010 have solar hot water heaters installed, with a few exceptions. The bill also requires the development of standards to govern the quality and performance of systems installed. More details here.
The farmland urbanization bill (SB 2646) allows large landowners to urbanize a portion of their land in exchange for designating a percentage as “important agricultural land.” The bill also provides a corporate bailout to former plantations and large landowners and essentially provides state support for further water diversions. For example, should SB 2646 pass, Alexander & Baldwin could receive state tax dollars to finance their legal efforts to take water from East Maui taro farmers.
The key senators who can stop the farmland urbanization bill are:
NAME
PHONE
EMAIL
BAKER, Rosalyn (D)
586-6070
mailto:senbaker@capitol.hawaii.gov
CHUN OAKLAND, Suzanne (D)
586-6130
mailto:senchunoakland@capitol.hawaii.gov
ENGLISH, J. Kalani (D)
587-7225
senenglish@capitol.hawaii.gov
ESPERO, Will (D)
586-6360
senespero@capitol.hawaii.gov
FUKUNAGA, Carol (D)
586-6890
senfukunaga@capitol.hawaii.gov
GABBARD, Mike (D)
586-6830
sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov
HANABUSA, Colleen (D)
586-7793
senhanabusa@capitol.hawaii.gov
IGE, David Y. (D)
586-6230
sendige@capitol.hawaii.gov
INOUYE, Lorraine R. (D)
586-7335
seninouye@capitol.hawaii.gov
KIM, Donna Mercado (D)
587-7200
mailto:senkim@capitol.hawaii.gov
KOKUBUN, Russell S. (D)
586-6760
senkokubun@capitol.hawaii.gov
MENOR, Ron (D)
586-6740
senmenor@capitol.hawaii.gov
NISHIHARA, Clarence (D)
586-6970
sennishihara@capitol.hawaii.gov
SAKAMOTO, Norman (D)
586-8585
sensakamoto@capitol.hawaii.gov
TANIGUCHI, Brian T. (D)
586-6460
sentaniguchi@capitol.hawaii.gov
TOKUDA, Jill N. (D)
587-7215
sentokuda@capitol.hawaii.gov
TSUTSUI, Shan S. (D)
586-7344
sentsutsui@capitol.hawaii.gov
So who crafted this deal to force the pro-development bill? If you want to know, it's House leadership:Speaker Calvin Say, 586-6100Rep. Kirk Caldwell, 586-8475Rep. Pono Chong, 586-9490Rep. Blake Oshiro, 586-6340
Tell them this is unacceptable. Bills should be supported or rejected on their merits. We don't have the patience for ridiculous political gameplaying like this. Here are the other House members who need to hear from us:
NAME
PHONE
EMAIL
Awana, Karen Leinani (D)
586-8465
repawana@capitol.hawaii.gov
Bertram, Joe, III (D)
586-8525
repbertram@capitol.hawaii.gov
Brower, Tom (D)
586-8520
repbrower@capitol.hawaii.gov
Cabanilla, Rida T. R. (D)
586-6080
repcabanilla@capitol.hawaii.gov
Chang, Jerry L. (D)
586-6120
repchang@capitol.hawaii.gov
Ching, Corinne W.L. (R)
586-9415
repching@capitol.hawaii.gov
Evans, Cindy (D)
586-8510
repevans@capitol.hawaii.gov
Finnegan, Lynn (R)
586-9470
repfinnegan@capitol.hawaii.gov
Green, Josh, M.D. (D)
586-9605
repgreen@capitol.hawaii.gov
Hanohano, faye P. (D)
586-6530
rephanohano@capitol.hawaii.gov
Har, Sharon (D)
586-8500
rephar@capitol.hawaii.gov
Herkes, Robert N. (D)
586-8400
repherkes@capitol.hawaii.gov
Ito, Ken (D)
586-8470
repito@capitol.hawaii.gov
Karamatsu, Jon Riki (D)
586-8490
repkaramatsu@capitol.hawaii.gov
Lee, Marilyn B. (D)
586-9460
replee@capitol.hawaii.gov
Magaoay, Michael Y. (D)
586-6380
repmagaoay@capitol.hawaii.gov
Manahan, Joey (D)
586-6010
repmanahan@capitol.hawaii.gov
Marumoto, Barbara C. (R)
586-6310
repmarumoto@capitol.hawaii.gov
McKelvey, Angus (D)
586-6160
repmckelvey@capitol.hawaii.gov
Mizuno, John (D)
586-6050
repmizuno@capitol.hawaii.gov
Nakasone, Bob (D)
586-6210
repnakasone@capitol.hawaii.gov
Nishimoto, Scott Y. (D)
586-8515
repnishimoto@capitol.hawaii.gov
Oshiro, Marcus R. (D)
586-6200
repmoshiro@capitol.hawaii.gov
Pine, Kimberly (R)
586-9730
reppine@capitol.hawaii.gov
RHOADS, Karl (D)
586-6180
reprhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov
SAGUM, Roland D., III (D)
586-6280
repsagum@capitol.hawaii.gov
Shimabukuro, Maile S. L. (D)
586-8460
repshimabukuro@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sonson, Alex M. (D)
586-6520
repsonson@capitol.hawaii.gov
Takai, K. Mark (D)
586-8455
reptakai@capitol.hawaii.gov
Takamine, Dwight Y. (D)
586-6680
reptakamine@capitol.hawaii.gov
Takumi, Roy M. (D)
586-6170
reptakumi@capitol.hawaii.gov
Tokioka, James Kunane (D)
586-6270
reptokioka@capitol.hawaii.gov
Tsuji, Clift (D)
586-8480
reptsuji@capitol.hawaii.gov
Wakai, Glenn (D)
586-6220
repwakai@capitol.hawaii.gov
Ward, Gene, Ph.D. (R)
586-6420
repward@capitol.hawaii.gov
Waters, Tommy (D)
586-9450
repwaters@capitol.hawaii.gov
Yamane, Ryan I. (D)
586-6150
repyamane@capitol.hawaii.gov
Yamashita, Kyle T. (D)
586-6330
repyamashita@capitol.hawaii.gov

Information above is provided by the Sierra Club

Jessica Wooley for House

Jessica Wooley is running for the House of Representatives from Windward Oahu. To see her website click here.

What do you know about her. I only know what I see on her website, but from that she looks like an excellant candidate.

Bill Sager

Constitutional Convention

In November, the voters will be asked if there should be a Constitutional Convention.

This will be an important and far reaching vote.

This website has been set up to aide in the discussion.

http://www.hawaiiconcon.org/

Leg update from Sierra Club

For more information on these and other pending measures, please see www.hi.sierraclub.org/capitol.

Solar on Every New House (SB 644)
We are very close to passing a bill that requires solar water heating on each new roof. Such a law would result in substantially reduce the carbon footprint of new construction--and save the homeowners money from day 1. The Building Industry Association and developers, however, are lobbying hard to stop this bill. We need to show legislators that this common sense policy should become law today. For more information on the solar bill, please visit our site, or read a story on the bill from the Advertiser.

Click here to email the key decision makers. Individual legislators listed below.

What to say:
I support legislation to make solar a standard feature on all new homes. With oil over $100 per barrel and the impacts of climate change already being felt in Hawai‘i, every home in Hawai‘i should be using the sun to heat water and more. Senate Bill 644 is a critical step in securing Hawaii’s energy future, reducing our contribution to global climate change, and improving the affordability of housing in Hawai‘i. Although environmentally friendly solar water heaters save homeowners money, the majority of new homes in sunny Hawai`i use fossil fuels to heat their water—despite the ease of installing them when the house is under construction. SB644 is a common sense policy requiring developers to have the long-term interest of new home buyers in mind.
Mahalo.

Rep. Kyle Yamashita: 586-6330 ((Maui toll free 984-2400 + 66330), repyamashita@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Carol Fukunaga: 586-6890, senfukunaga@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Marcus Oshiro: 586-6200, repmoshiro@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Roz Baker: 586-6070 (Maui toll free 984-2400 + 66070), senbaker@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Ron Menor: 586-6740, senmenor@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Maile Shimabukuro: 586-8460, repshimabukuro@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senate President Colleen Hanabusa: 586-7793, senhanabusa@Capitol.hawaii.gov
House Speaker Calvin Say: 586-6100, repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protect Hawaii's Farmland, Help stop SB 546

Give away the farm. That’s what Senate Bill 546 proposes to do. By giving large landowners a new option to bypass the public review process and gain urban development rights on 20% of their property in return for naming 80% of the land as “Important Agricultural Land,” this measure paves the way for urban development on farmland. For nearly 50 years Hawaii's state land use laws have assured careful consideration is exercised before agricultural land and open space is converted to urban subdivisions. As development pressure continues to increase, and lands needed to provide our people with food and energy are being lost to speculation, we need to be even more careful about which lands are designated for urbanization.

Click here to email the key decision makers. Individual legislators listed below.

What to say:
I strongly oppose SB 546. Please do not pass any legislation that facilitates the urbanization of farmlands or reduces public oversight of the land use process. Now, more than ever, we need to carefully consider any proposal to urbanize agricultural land. The environmental and public review systems should not be side-stepped to hasten urbanization. The legislature should do what it has been ordered to do by law for decades – designate and protect important agricultural lands. Vote “no” on SB 546. We do not support this giant step backward in farmland protection. Mahalo.

House Speaker Calvin Say: 586-6100, repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Ken Ito: 586-8470, repito@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Jill Tokuda: 587-7215, sentokuda@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Clayton Hee: 586-7330, senhee@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Clift Tsuji: 586-8480 (Big Island toll-free: 974-4000 + 68480), reptsuji@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Russell Kokubun: 586-6760 (Big Island toll-free: 974-4000 + 66760), senkokubun@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senate President Colleen Hanabusa: 586-7793, senhanabusa@Capitol.hawaii.gov

HB 2863

Aloha,

It is urgent that you call your legislator and say, don't kill
democracy by passing HB 2863 as drafted by Castle and Cooke.

,

Castle and Cooke has proposed that DBEDT and DBEDT alone should
have the power to approve any renewable energy project that
claims they will build a 200MW facility, regardless of the size
they really will build.

DBEDT can override all state and county agencies, run rough-shot
over the public, and fast track the approval so fast that they
approve it before the EIS is completed, that is, approve it
pending their acceptance of the Final EIS.

All public participation is killed. All public hearings are
dead. There is no contested case hearing. There is alleged
county approval but DBEDT can override any objection.

Biofuel facilities are included as long as the developer first
claims to be building a truly massive facility.

Castle and Cooke wants all public participation and review of
their project to be eliminated.

One person alone, the Director of DBEDT, can override everybody
and everything in his way.

RAM RAM RAM

Castle and Cooke = Death of Democracy

HB_2863_HB3_SD3_Castle_and_Cooke_Proposed_CD1

Henry

-- Henry Curtis, Executive Director, Life of the Land, 76 N.
King Street, Suite 203, Honolulu, HI 96817. phone: 808-533-3454.
cell: 808-927-0709. Web Site:
http://www.lifeofthelandhawaii.org/
email:henry.lifeoftheland@gmail.com

Energy impacts on Hawaii

This is an excellant site to keep current on Ocean Policies related to Hawaii. The current article describes the impact of fuel prices on Hawaii's economy.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hawaiioceanspolicy/

Critical Habitat Designation Hawaiian picture-wing flies

Aloha, everyone! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is holding
public hearings and taking public comments on the revised
proposed critical habitat for 12 threatened and endangered
Hawaiian picture-wing fly species. Copies of the proposed
critical habitat rule are at http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/.
For more information, contact Patrick Leonard at the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service in Honolulu: 792-9400 or fax 792-9581

Please testify at the public hearing on April 8 (Hilo) or April
10 (Honolulu), and submit written comments by April 25, 2008.
Support the revised and expanded critical habitat designation
for threatened and endangered Hawaiian picture-wing flies.
Oppose the exclusion of military lands on O’ahu from the
proposed critical habitat. (See Talking Points below.) Sorry for
the short notice. Mahalo nui!

Public Hearings

Tuesday, April 8 Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Mala ‘Ikena Room, 71
Banyan Drive in Hilo, 5-6:30 pm informational session; 7-8:30 pm
public hearing

Thursday, April 10 Queen Kapi'olani Hotel, Queen's Room, 2nd
Floor, 150 Kapahulu Avenue, 5-6:30 pm informational session;
7-8:30 pm public hearing

Written Comments

Please submit written comments by April 25, 2008

* Via email and the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov (follow instructions for submitting
comments)

* Via snail mail to Public Comments Processing Attn: RIN
1018-AU93 Division of Policy and Directives Management U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 N Fairfax Dr., Ste. 222
Arlington, VA 22203

Talking Points

* Support the increased critical habitat for the Hawaiian
picture-wing flies.

* Oppose exclusion of military land in proposed critical habitat
designation.

* The military should be held to the same standards as other
federal agencies.

* All federal agencies have a mandatory duty to conserve
endangered species.

* Live-fire training, maneuvers, and control burns threaten
endangered species and their habitat.

* There is no guarantee that the Integrated Natural Resource
Management Plan (INRMP) for O’ahu Army land will be funded
adequately or permanently and therefore benefit the endangered
picture-wings specifically.

* Ask the Fish and Wildlife Service to provide information on
the occurrence of picture wings and the plants they need to
survive on Army lands.

* Ask the Fish and Wildlife Service to provide information
supporting its finding that the INRMP will benefit the
endangered picture-wings and that the exclusion of Army land
from the critical habitat designation is justified.

Background

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently seeks public
comment on a revised proposal for critical habitat for 12
species of threatened and endangered picture-wing flies in
Hawai’i. Critical habitat is defined as areas that are necessary
to recover the species and which may require special management
or protection.

Some critical habitat for the endangered picture-wings is on
military land on O’ahu. Yet, in 2004, the military received a
special exemption from the federal Endangered Species Act and,
in particular, from critical habitat designation. The result in
this case is that Army lands in the Mount Ka’ala and
Lihu’e/Schofield Barracks area on O’ahu are excluded from the
proposed critical habitat. Military live-fire training,
maneuvers, control burns, and other related activities are among
the biggest threats to endangered Hawaiian species and their
habitat.

Interesting Facts

Picture-wing flies are endangered and unique to Hawai’i. Some
species are found in one valley or mountain. They are considered
to be a wonder of evolution.

As endangered species they require the protection of critical
habitat to help ensure their recovery. This means restricting
activities that may harm the survival of the species and
activities that would destroy or adversely modify critical
habitat.

Julie MacDonald, the ex-Deputy Secretary of Interior for the
FWS, was a pro-industry official, with no real conservation
background, who actually tampered with the findings and
interfered with scientists’ recommendations resulting in easing
environmental protection for endangered species. MacDonald was
forced to resign in disgrace after an investigation exposed the
extent of her abuses.

Several proposed critical habitat designations around the
country are being reevaluated in light of the MacDonald matter,
including the proposal for the Hawaiian picture-wings. The
initial proposed critical habitat for the flies was an
arbitrarily chosen mere 18 acres. The revised proposed critical
habitat is for 9,238 acres!

Two species of these endangered picture-wings are found on
military-occupied lands on O’ahu. But in 2004 the military got a
special exemption from critical habitat designations if it has
an Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) that
benefits the species for which critical habitat is being
proposed.

Critical habitat for the picture-wings on Army lands in the Mt.
Ka’ala-Lihu’e/Schofield Barracks area on O’ahu is excluded from
the proposed critical habitat designation because the Army has
an INRMP for O’ahu. However, the mere existence of an INRMP does
ensure species recovery. Adequate funding, adequate staff, and
political will are essential to species recovery. We do not
support Congress’s broad military exemption from critical
habitat designation.

From: Marjorie Zigler, Conservation Council for Hawaii.

Ethanol demand and fuel costs drives up food prices worldwide

The Los Angeles Times leads with a follow up to the World Food Program's recent emergency appeal for more money and takes a look at how the worldwide phenomenon of rising food prices is leading to more hunger and food shortages. The WFP director calls it "a perfect storm" because not only does it cost much more for the agency to continue its current programs, but the number of people who need help is continuously increasing.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fg-food1apr01,1,5014433.story