HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 073 Draft 01 2022-2024
A RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I’S COMMITMENT TO DIVERTING ON-ISLAND WASTE TO SUSTAINABLY PROCESS CARBON-NEGATIVE CEMENT, BIOCHAR, GREEN HYDROGEN, AND RECLAIMED WATER TO
HELP ACHIEVE ITS GOALS RELATED TO CLIMATE RESILIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AND ZERO WASTE.
WHEREAS, on December 19, 2007, the Council of the County of Hawai‘i adopted Resolution No. 356-07, Draft 2, which stated Hawai‘i County shall embrace and adopt the zero-waste philosophy
of solid waste management; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, the State of Hawai‘i and the U.S. Department of Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding that launched the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) to reduce Hawai‘i’s
dependence on imported fossil fuels, setting goals to produce 70 percent of the State’s energy needs from renewable, energy-efficient sources by 2030 and be 100 percent independent
from imported fuel by 2045; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, Mayor Harry Kim joined the Climate Mayors network, which now consists of over 750 members, to uphold the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, hold global
warming to 1.5°C, and accelerate the transition to a clean-energy economy that benefits Hawai‘i’s security, prosperity, and health; and
WHEREAS, on December 12, 2017, Mayor Harry Kim signed a proclamation of commitment pledging to “transform Hawai‘i’s ground transportation to 100 percent renewable fuel sources by ensuring
that all public and private ground transportation is fueled by renewable energy by 2045”; and
WHEREAS, on October 16, 2019, the Council of the County of Hawai‘i adopted Resolution No. 322-19, Draft 2, which declared a Hawai‘i County climate emergency and requested regional collaboration
towards an immediate, just transition and emergency mobilization effort to restore a safe climate; and
WHEREAS, in July 2020, Mayor Harry Kim signed the Climate Mayors’ congressional letter to the House and Senate leaders in Washington, D.C., advocating a zero-carbon economy that creates
good-paying green jobs and prioritizes equity; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, the County of Hawai‘i released a draft Climate Action Plan that calls for the County to generate power and electricity from 100 percent renewable energy sources and
to become carbon neutral through absorbing/sequestering more carbon than we are emitting by 2045; and
WHEREAS, the draft Climate Action Plan calls for the following mitigation strategies:
Investing in more green buildings and infrastructure;
Incentivizing energy efficiency and conservation;
Promoting renewable energy generation;
Improving transportation infrastructure design and development;
Incentivizing alternative fuels, fuel cells, and electric vehicles;
Reducing solid waste;
Recycling;
Promoting green and biodegradable products;
Supporting waste-to-energy;
Reducing the amount of wastewater for treatment;
Promoting alternative agriculture and land use management; and
Expanding carbon sequestration potential; and
WHEREAS, waste diversion is the prevention and reduction of generated waste through source reduction, recycling, reuse and composting, which creates a host of environmental, financial
and social benefits, including conserving energy, reducing disposal costs, and reducing the burden on landfills and other waste disposal methods; and
WHEREAS, the County of Hawai‘i’s on-island carbon footprint can be reduced by converting diverted waste into renewable energies or products such as (1) carbon-negative cement made from
microalgae, which can reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, (2) biochar, a black carbon produced by burning agricultural and green waste in a controlled process that can be used
to enhance soil quality and mitigate climate change, (3) green hydrogen, a clean energy source made by electrolyzing water using electricity from surplus renewable energy sources, such
as solar and wind power, and (4) onsite non-potable water reuse system that captures and treats water to reclaim, recycle, and reuse for non-drinking purposes; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I that the County will work to divert, as appropriate, all municipal solid waste, including but not limited to, green waste, metals,
plastics, paper, paperboard, and glass by 2026 to an on-island site that will sustainably process the waste into carbon-negative cement, biochar, green hydrogen, and reclaimed water
to help achieve Hawai‘i County’s goals related to climate resiliency, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and zero waste.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State of Hawai‘i, City and County of Honolulu, County of Maui, and County of Kaua‘i are urged to similarly work toward achieving its goals related to
climate resiliency, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and zero waste.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Honorable Governor Josh Green, M.D.; Director Chris Sadayasu, State Department of Business,
Economic Development and Tourism; the Honorable Mayor Mitchell D. Roth; and Director Ramzi Mansour, Department of Environmental Management.
Dated at _____________, Hawai‘i, this ______ day of ___________________, 20___.
INTRODUCED BY:
_______________________________________
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I
COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai‘i
Hilo, Hawai‘i
ROLL CALL VOTE
AYES
NOES
ABS
EX
EVANS
GALIMBA
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the
County of Hawai‘i on _____________________________________.
INABA
KAGIWADA
KĀNEALI‘I-KLEINFELDER
KIERKIEWICZ
ATTEST:
KIMBALL
LEE LOY
VILLEGAS
Reference:
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON & PRESIDING OFFICER
RESOLUTION NO.