By Colleen Uechi for Maui Now

For nearly 30 years on the leeward slopes of Haleakalā, the Auwahi Forest Restoration Project has been actively converting pasture land back into Hawaiian dry forest.

Thousands of saplings have been planted at Auwahi, an area known for its diversity with about 30 different species of trees. Still, it’s “only a small fraction of the once vast forest system on the leeward side of Maui,” said Robert Pitts, a Kīhei resident involved with the project. 

That’s why Pitts is eager to see state lawmakers approve a sweeping plan to invest about $130 million in climate impact taxes, known as “green fees,” into 75 projects, many of which are aimed at restoring the environment and improving Hawai‘i’s resilience in the face of disaster. 

On Wednesday, that plan survived a key hurdle when the Hawai‘i House of Representatives’ Finance Committee approved a draft of the state budget that included support for nearly all of the recommended projects. The budget now heads to the Senate for its consideration. 

For community members involved with conservation, the green fees are a priceless opportunity.

By Christina O'Connor for Pacific Business News

A bill that would establish administrative protocols and reporting requirements for Hawaii’s “green fee” has advanced in the Legislature.

House Bill 1949 passed 14-1 through the House Finance Committee on Thursday and was recommended to pass third reading on the House floor.

The green fee, which Hawaii Gov . Josh Green signed into law last year, took effect on Jan. 1, raising Hawaii's transient accommodations tax on hotels and vacation rentals by .75 percentage points to 11%. The legislation also established a new 11% TAT for cruise ships that was halted amid legal challenges.

Officials have estimated that the green fee will bring in about $100 million annually for the state.

Those funds would go toward mitigating the impacts of tourism on the natural environment by supporting efforts to preserve the state’s natural resources and enhance destination management.

By Erin Collins for Hoodline Honolulu

Hawaii lawmakers are moving to put the state’s new green-fee cash under a brighter spotlight, pushing for a one-stop public “scoreboard” that tracks every dollar. At the Capitol this week, the House advanced a measure that would build a single online dashboard and standardize reporting across agencies that receive the fee. Supporters say the idea is simple: if the state is about to pour tens of millions into climate and conservation projects, residents should not have to play detective to see where the money goes

By Jeff Mikulina for Honolulu Star-Advertiser

In this Honolulu Star-Advertiser “5 Questions” feature, Green Fee Advisory Council Chair Jeff Mikulina discusses the urgency of investing in Hawai‘i’s climate resilience and how the proposed Green Fee could generate roughly $100 million annually to support environmental stewardship, climate and hazard mitigation, and sustainable tourism. He outlines how the council prioritized projects such as wildfire mitigation, watershed and reef restoration, and visitor management, while addressing concerns about affordability, transparency, and implementation. Mikulina emphasizes that proactive investments today will help protect communities, natural resources, and Hawai‘i’s long-term economic stability in the face of accelerating climate risks.

By Staff for Hawai‘i News Now “HI Now Daily”

Care for ‘Āina Now (CAN) is a coalition of more than 70 community leaders, cultural practitioners, and organizations dedicated to advancing climate resilience and environmental stewardship in Hawaii. Our advocacy was pivotal in the passage of ACT 96 last year and the “Green Fee” becoming law.

By Aaron Magee for Honolulu Star-Advertiser

I grew up on Oahu hiking, snorkeling and bodysurfing. I started Global Preservation Initiative because I wanted to protect the places that defined my childhood and made me love nature.

Today, our organization stewards sites like Mauliola (Sand Island State Recreation Area) and Makapuu Beach Park, planting native plants, clearing invasive plants, removing litter and hosting community workdays that build connection to the spaces we love. The green fee can scale work like this — and the first year of project recommendations are too important to overlook.

The green fee was designed so visitors help fund environmental protection and restoration, but real impact depends on how well projects are chosen, supported and tracked. The proposed green fee project recommendations emphasize community co-management, which is essential, while the Green Fee Resiliency Impact Dashboard Bill provides transparent, open access to project funding, locations, goals and outcomes, including community and visitor benefits.

By Honolulu Star-Advertiser Editorial Board

Hawaii’s climate impact fee, aka “green fee,” on visitor accommodations is an innovative solution to fund urgent state needs, including issues shunted aside in the past for lack of resources. It’s vital to use the money allocated strategically and effectively — and also vital that the Legislature serves as a partner in leadership on this effort to invest in Hawaii, raising the state to desirable levels of resilience.

Act 96, the legislation establishing Hawaii’s green fee, specifies that money allocate be divided equally between environmental stewardship, climate and hazard resilience and sustainable tourism. It’s expected to bring in as much as $100 million annually, with projected revenue of about $87 million in 2026. That has given Gov. Josh Green’s administration leeway to request $42 million for the budget cycle ending on June 30, and another $43.5 million in the 2026-2027 cycle.

By Lauren Day for PBS Hawai‘i

The state hopes to raise $100 million via an increase to the hotel room tax to deal with climate change issues. Who decides where the money is spent? On “Insights on PBS Hawai‘i,” Green Fee Advisory Council member, Carmela Resuma, alongside fellow panelists’ Denise Antolini (Environmental Attorney), Sen. Chris Lee (Assistant Majority Whip, Chair: Water, Land, Culture & Arts Committee), and Rep. Ikaika Hussey (House Tourism Committee Member, Kamehameha Heights – Kalihi Valley), and moderated by Lauren Day, discuss how funding decisions were made, how projects were recommended, and what’s next for the Green Fee as it goes through Legislative session and beyond.

By Emma Schneck for Kauaiʻi Now

Earlier this month, the Green Fee Advisory Council created by Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green announced 75 projects it recommends for the first round of funding from the new tax, which is expected to generate about $130 million for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027.

For Kaua’i conservationists, these recommendations offered a glimpse of what critical environmental work may be funded, and also shows the big need with more than 600 projects submitted for the first round statewide, totaling more than $2 billion.

By Jill Kuramoto for KHON2 News

Hawaii’s visitor industry may be showing signs of life, but hotel industry leaders say the road to full recovery is still far from smooth.

Cautious optimism amongst growing competition is the general feeling amongst industry leaders who gathered today at the annual hospitality conference at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, hosted by the American Hotel and Lodging Association…

…Meanwhile, hotel leaders are backing a proposed “green fee” — expected to generate roughly $100 million — to restore beaches, protect shorelines and invest in infrastructure.

$7 million in Waikiki Beach replenishment was recently proposed by an advisory committee.

By Kalani Kaʻanaʻana for Hawaiʻi Business Magazine

On any given day in Hawaiʻi, signs of strain are visible. Trails show wear from heavy use. Reefs experience stress from warming waters and sediment runoff. Forested areas continue to face pressures from invasive species, alongside growing wildfire risk. Cultural sites are visited often, while stewardship resources remain limited. These patterns are not isolated. Together, they point to a broader reality: the natural and cultural systems that sustain Hawaiʻi have operated for decades without a funding structure that fully reflects how much we depend on them.

Act 96, SLH 2025, introduces what has been described as the nation’s first climate impact fee, often called the Green Fee. As of January 1, 2026, the law increased the Transient Accommodations Tax by 0.75 percent and directs new revenue toward natural resource management, climate and hazard resilience, and sustainable tourism systems. The intent is to establish a more predictable funding source for systems that support Hawaiʻi’s environmental, cultural, and economic well-being.

By John Leong and Ulu Ching for Honolulu Star-Advertiser

As members of the Care for ‘Aina Now coalition advocating for the green fee, we are encouraged that Hawaii is a significant step closer to the long-term protection of its natural and cultural resources.

The creation of Hawaii’s green fee reflects a shared understanding that while our natural beauty welcomes every visitor, each visit brings both benefits and costs. A small contribution helps ensure that the places people come to enjoy are cared for and sustained over time. In most cases, the green fee amounts to only a few dollars per trip, yet it is designed to support environmental protection, climate resilience, and long-term stewardship across the islands.

Passing the fee was an important act of leadership, but it is only the beginning. What will ultimately determine success is whether residents and visitors can see the positive outcomes these funds make possible. Green fee revenues will support critical work across multiple state agencies in partnership with community partners, including reef restoration, invasive species management, watershed protection, climate adaptation and infrastructure improvements. Yet today, there is no simple way for the public to understand where the money goes or what it is accomplishing as a whole.

By Kevin Dayton for Honolulu Civil Beat

Gov. Josh Green has described the new green fee to fund environmental protection projects and cope with climate threats as “the biggest and perhaps most exciting change” happening in state government.

Environmental initiatives are crowd-pleasers, and the green fee windfall has definitely caused a stir at the State Capitol. But lawmakers are also asking some tough questions about the administration’s plans for that juicy new source of funding

The administration on Wednesday proposed $126 million in projects Green intends to finance with money from the new fee, ranging from $1 million to close out cesspools in Hōnaunau on the Big Island to nearly $20 million for beach restoration projects at Ala Moana, Waikīkī and in West Maui.

By Yunji de Nies for Hawaiʻi News Now

On this edition of Spotlight Now, Green Fee Advisory Council members Eric Co and Dr. Chip Fletcher discussed how the $100 million or more should be spent.

Last year, Gov. Josh Green signed Act 96, which increases taxes on hotel guests and vacation rental visitors.

According to Co, environmental improvement efforts, climate-resilient infrastructure, and sustainable tourism should receive funding.

Each effort should show tangible results, reduce harm, be ready in a reasonable timeframe, and build community relationships, said Co.

“All of us in Hawaii know that we can do a lot with a little because were so collaborative,” said Co.

By Jai Cunningham for KITV 4 Island News

The state's "Green Fee" is generating over $126 million for sustainable tourism, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship. How will this funding reshape Hawaii's natural resources?

By Dan Nakaso for Honolulu Star-Advertiser

The new Green Fee Advisory Council had to choose from among more than $2 billion worth of funding requests to help Hawaii respond to climate change, but will only have $100 million or so annually to recommend through the first statewide tax of its kind in the country, which has been collecting revenue since Jan. 1.

The Council received over 600 requests in all from government departments and agencies, community groups and nonprofit organizations — many of whom are already working on projects across the state and need more support.

Gov. Josh Green signed the so-called “Green Fee” into law last year as Act 96. It increases the state’s transient accommodation tax by .075% — to 11% — on overnight lodgings for everyone, including local residents.