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
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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.
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
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