When it comes to discussions of climate change, much of the debate is focused on that small part of the globe that is – for now, at least – dry land: the impact on cities on or near coastlines; dealing … Continued
Following Gov. David Ige’s state of the state address, in which he proposed us- ing nearly two-thirds of the Green Energy Market Securitization funds to air condition 1,000 public-school classrooms, both cham- bers of the Legislature heard companion bills that … Continued
The roll-out of the Green Energy Market Securitization program (GEMS) has had results that can charitably be described as disappointing. Of the $145 million available for loans intended to help Hawai`i homeowners and renters avail themselves of advances in energy-saving … Continued
Kathryn Matayoshi, state superintendent of education, had little to say about the proposal to loan the Department of Education $100 million from the Green Energy Market Securitization (GEMS) fund when the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection heard the … Continued
Rep. Cynthia Thielen of Kailua was frank: “I think that GEMS has not been run well. A million dollars to place out three loans is pretty pathetic. I mean, that may rank at the top of the pathetic list of … Continued
Although the merger of Hawaiian Electric with NextEra Energy has yet to be approved by the Public Utilities Commission, it would seem from a recent filing with the PUC that the prospective new owner of Hawai`i’s largest utility is already … Continued
A feud between Hawaiian Electric and SunEdison could put in jeopardy three of the four large-scale solar power projects approved for O`ahu last year. On February 12, Hawaiian Electric informed the Public Utilities Commission that it “exercised its termination rights” … Continued
The National Marine Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a petition from Defenders of Wildlife that seeks to protect oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) under the federal Endangered Species Act. On January 12, NMFS announced in the Federal Register … Continued
Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, its principal, and a host of related businesses are being sued in federal court in Honolulu. The plaintiff, Streamline Consulting Group (SCG), alleges that the companies, all owned by or controlled by Jeffrey A. Dunster, owe around … Continued
Financing statements filed with the state’s Bureau of Conveyances don’t usually disclose the dollar amounts of loans, but they do serve as a legal notice of a claim on the property used as collateral. One such statement filed last summer … Continued