Environment

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"Energy costs certainly are affected by public policy measures at the federal, state and local levels. When policymakers focus on reining in taxes and removing regulatory burdens, that works to reduce energy costs to the benefit of entrepreneurs, businesses and consumers. But when focused on increasing energy taxes, expanding regulations, and creating governmental obstacles to energy development, the economy suffers accordingly."

During her 30-years of public service, Governor Lingle has always run issue-oriented campaigns. Should there be a future campaign, it too would be run on the issues, rather than based on personal attacks.

There is no place in Hawaii for these deplorable tactics by national partisan political staffers. The voters of Hawaii deserve better.

A Site Analytics report shows that Hawai`i Free Press has surpassed 1 million hits a month every month this year.

The Hawaii Supreme Court recently completed a three-year evaluation of the progress made by the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission toward the goal of increasing access to justice in civil legal matters for low-income Hawaii residents.

The boundaries pit two Big Island Democrats against each other: Jerry Chang, D-Piihonua-Kaumana, and Mark Nakashima, D-Hawi-Hilo. On Oahu, Rida Cabanilla, D-Waipahu-Ewa, would face Kymberly Pine, R-Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point; and Mark Hashem, D-Hahaione Valley-Aina Haina, would compete against Barbara Marumoto, R-Kalani Valley-Diamond Head.

(Handy Tip: Deposit $100M and make OHA give you $400M. Not only will you prosper, but by bankrupting OHA, you will make Hawaii a better place.)

...good government means more than just saying what people want to hear. It means identifying problems that concern our community and proposing constructive solutions....

• Senate: Confirmation of Robert S. Mueller III to be Director of the FBI
• Senate: Budget Control Act of 2011
• House: North American-Made Energy Security Act
• House: Budget Control Act of 2011

The Employer-Union Trust Fund (EUTF) has completed the periodic process of selecting providers of life, vision, dental, medical and pharmacy insurance—with significant savings for employers, active employees and retirees....

In a Washington Post article published this morning, the national Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee takes the unusual step of attacking a Democratic Senate Primary candidate--Ed Case....DSCC is working hand in glove with Sen. Dan Inouye. Even DSCC’s choice of words -- “not honest” -- echoes Inouye’s lengthy record of attacks on Case.

The poll shows Ed Case ahead of Mazie Hirono in the Democratic primary 53%-37% and ahead of Linda Lingle in the general 48%-38%, and Lingle ahead of Hirono in the general 48%-43%. 

The Gordian knot that seems to be confronting public officials is how to keep the state and county governments solvent while avoiding either having to make deep cuts in public services or, on the other hand, raising taxes and fees that will infuriate the tax paying public.

Defense spending is 18% of Hawaii’s economy….

According to the Companies, the application of the biofuel surcharge “would apply to HELCO and HECO customers, and would add about 1/3 of a cent per kilowatt hour.”

Here's the latest in a case we've been following. In Bridge Aina Lea, LLC v. State of Hawaii Land Use Comm'n....

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today signed a formal project partnership agreement for the construction of the Kawainui Marsh Environmental Restoration Project in Kailua, O‘ahu.

The Stimulus Program created 2,046 jobs in Hawaii.  The cost for these 2,046 jobs? $1.329-billion in taxpayer dollars!  That’s about $650,000 per job!

The Governor’s objectives are to avoid interruptions to programs that depend heavily on federal funding....

Hawai'i Bankers Association Executive Director Gary Fujitani said, “Our banking community has substantial liquidity that is ample to weather any temporary financial correction. We are ready to work with the state to ensure the continuance of a stable economy in Hawai'i.”

When I was considering serving as State Chair, I was told by Former State Chair, Governor Linda Lingle, that I would not understand what it meant to be the chair until I served as Chair. Having now served a full term and having been re-elected to serve yet another term as your State Chair, I find these to be great words of wisdom and completely true!

As we look forward to 2012, I remain disappointed with our delegation's adherence to a partisan agenda that places party loyalty above the best interests of Hawaii's residents and our nation. If we are to protect and advance Hawaii's best interests in our nation's capital, we need a balanced delegation with representatives who can and will work with both Republicans and Democrats alike....

Queen Kaomileika'ahumanu - was buried at the Waipouli cave in the One'ula area. She died on October 31, 1796, but was removed from her burial without approval from the State's OIBC.  

VIDEO: Jason Martin, of Secure DNA and Christopher Van Marter Senior Deputy of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney White Collar Crime Unit discuss Cybercrime with Representative George Fontaine.... 

A growing list of women leaders from across the state have joined the Executive Advisory Council for Hawai‘i’s 8^th annual International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC), taking place on September 20, 2011 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) introduced legislation to raise the debt ceiling this week. In evaluating his plans for future government spending, it becomes clear that budgeting for prudent defense is considered just another line item.

• DATE: Friday, July 29th, 2011
• TIME: 11:30 am ~ 1:30 pm
• LOCATION: Japanese Cultural Center / Manoa Grand Ballroom, 2454 S Beretania St, 5th Floor

• HILO -- JULY 27, WEDNESDAY—1:00PM-3:00PM.
• MAUI -- JULY 28, THURSDAY-- 5PM youth session, 6:30PM general session.
• OAHU -- JULY 29, FRIDAY—6:30PM to 8:30PM.

The Council will meet quarterly and report annually to the Governor, the Legislature and county mayors, including policy recommendations supporting the statewide plan.

A program funded by the federal government allowed 60 Hawai‘i public schools to keep serving free breakfast and lunch this summer. All children 18 years old and younger, even those not enrolled in that particular school, are able to have a free meal ....

...the East-West Center is under fire again, as Congress is looking at completely eliminating the center. The House Foreign Affairs Committee recently voted to wipe out the UH based facility. The center might again be saved in the U.S. Senate, but these difficulties will continue as long as Hawaii continues to send a one-sided and unbalanced delegation to Congress that is unable to speak with the new GOP majority in the U.S. House.... 

The report, “Valuing the Invaluable: The Growing Contributions and Costs of Family Caregiving, 2011 Update”, finds that the “average” caregiver is a 49-year old woman who works outside of the home and spends nearly 20 hours per week providing unpaid care to her mother over the course of nearly five years.

• Senate: Military Construction-VA Appropriations, FY2012
• Senate: Motion to Table; Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011
• House: Cut, Cap, and Balance Act
• House: Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness Improvement Act of 2011
• House: Legislative Branch Appropriations, FY2012

Kaiser Permanente announced today that the Honolulu Clinic and Kihei and Lahaina Clinics on Maui, and their primary care providers have received the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Physician Practice Connections Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition....

Documents filed with the Hawaii State Ethics Commission show that a $1000 per person March 15 campaign fundraiser for Honolulu Council Chair Ernie Martin held at the home of Kamehameha Schools lobbyist Linda Y Wong was organized by convicted cocaine dealer Chad Tsuneyoshi—who now serves as Martin’s campaign treasurer.

Details about the 1941 Ewa Field Battlefield history and Section 106 process will be presented by the US Navy on August 4th at the DHHL Building in Kapolei. 

The requested increase would help cover the operations and maintenance costs of safely and reliably integrating existing and future renewable energy resources into MECO's three isolated, island electrical grids. Also included are energy storage projects which will help integrate even higher levels of variable resources such as wind and solar....

• Question: What religion produces the most terror attacks in the USA each year?
• Answer: Environmentalism

Here in Hawaii it seems that taxpayers suffer from a glut of omniscient soothsayers in elected office who believe they know it all and can predict the winner industry of the future....

After years as the Congressional chief of staff for Rep Wu (D-OR), Julie Tippens this January quit to take a job as chief of staff for Rep Colleen Hanabusa (D-Oahu).

Residents of California and Hawaii are the most indebted individuals in America, but they’re also among a group that are making the most progress in paying down the amount they owe, according to a MoneyWatch analysis of state-by-state debt statistics....

The time has come for parents to think about their children’s future plans and decide if the university system is a viable option.

 Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued an interim decision in Hawaiian Electric's 2011 rate case. It will result in a $3.31 a month increase for a typical Oahu residential customer

On March 5, 2007--just four months after her 2006 Lt Governor run gave Hawaii Democrats their worst gubernatorial defeat since Statehood—Solomon led about 100 people to sit in at the the Federal District Courtroom of Judge Michael Seabright to support her friend, Shawn Aguiar—the Big Island's largest methamphetamines dealer.

The new draft reverses agency protection recommendations for many bird species and adds unrealistic deadlines that would lead to “rubber-stamping” of wind projects. ABC expects millions of migratory birds to be harmed by poorly-planned wind energy.

The initiative’s first site is located in Honoka'a, within the Hamakua Coast, where services will be provided at the North Hawai'i Education & Research Center (NHERC). The Rural Outreach Services initiative is a partnership between federal, state, county governments, and private non-profit agencies.

...Abercrombie last week alerted the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services that the State of Hawai'i will be applying for the new ”Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge” grant competition....

Today, join us in making history when the first, all-Twitter Presidential Debate is held from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. (9AM-10:30AM HST)

Researchers at the Beacon Hill Institute have conducted a cost-benefit analysis of 1,100 MWs of offshore wind power for New Jersey. The findings are as follows.

EIRs are required for plastic bag bans by (i) “larger” cities and counties and also (ii) small cities based on the cumulative impacts. Save The Plastic Bag Coalition has legal standing to enforce that requirement....