Governor Asks Lawmakers For $126M In Green Fee Projects

By Kevin Dayton for Honolulu Civil Beat

Photo Credit: Nathan Eagle / Honolulu Civil Beat / 2023

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.

Click here to read the full article published by Honolulu Civil Beat on Feb. 5.