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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0279.093 2022-2024 P /Counci I n , bill u2 -Y CCAvINt. V9 COUNTY ,r{ J 1023 JUN 20 Ali 10: 17 Elemental ®� Excelerator Testimony of Elemental Excelerator to the County of Hawaii County Council in consideration of Bill 48, June 21, 2023 Dear Chair Kimball, Vice Chair Inaba, and distinguished Members of the County Council: Elemental Excelerator respectfully submits our strong support for Bill 48, relating to sustainability, climate, equity, and resilience. Elemental Excelerator is a Honolulu-based non-profit organization that supports climate positive startup companies that help solve Hawaii's most urgent environmental problems. Each year we select 15-20 companies that advance climate technology and social equity, then fund each company with up to $1 million in investment and support. To date, we have awarded over$50 million to 150+ companies, and additionally supported more than 100 new tech demonstration projects right here in Hawaii &the Asia Pacific. We offer support on Bill 48, which would create an Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity and Resilience for the County of Hawaii. This new County agency would coordinate and manage policies and programs to address sustainability, mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and adapt to the impacts of climate change and other natural and human caused hazards. The creation of this Office would build on the current climate planning efforts of the County of Hawai'i, including the recent release of the draft County Climate Action Plan. An increasing number of jurisdictions are establishing dedicated climate offices across the country to address the unique challenges posed by the increasing climate crisis: we have seen the success of this model firsthand with the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency (OCCSR) at the City and County of Honolulu. For the past few years, OCCSR has been leading O`ahu's climate planning efforts and pursuing federal funding for mitigation and adaptation projects. With respect to Bill 48, we particularly support the County's deliberate focus on equity in the creation of this office, in order to ensure climate benefits are reaching communities which have been historically underserved and underfunded. This focus on climate equity is part of Elemental's mission. A dedicated climate office at the climate level will be critical to pursue and implement federal climate funding. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) have the potential to offer hundreds of millions in federal funding to help Hawaii residents- particularly those with low- and moderate-income- benefit from the clean energy transition in the short and medium term. Additional benefits from these federal climate funds include less pollution in communities, reduced energy and transportation costs, an Comm: R1® 111 Ref.To: P'LOW1611 _ Ref..Date JUN 2 1 2021 increase in good jobs, investment in the local economy rather than spending on imported oil, and reducing dangerous GHG emissions. Enabling state and local policies are necessary, however, to ensure that these federal funds (especially competitive funds) can be secured and expeditiously deployed in Hawai'i versus flowing to other jurisdictions. The creation of a dedicated climate office at a cabinet level will support Hawaii County in preparing to apply for and receive these unprecedented amounts of federal climate funding, ensuring maximum climate benefits for the residents of Hawai'i County. Elemental Excelerator has helped support dozens of climate tech companies that create jobs, transition our economy to 100% clean energy, and accelerate equitable access to zero emission solutions for all residents. By passing this bill, the County of Hawaii will advance its equitable climate planning by establishing a clear leader and coordinator within the government. The creation of a climate office for Hawai'i County by Bill 48 will tremendously help the County's climate planning, coordinating, and implementation, especially with respect to federal funding. Elemental Excelerator supports the passage of Bill 48. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.