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• April 29, 2026

  Hawaii budget talks stall over income tax bill

  A House-Senate conference committee meeting on Senate Bill 3125 was scheduled for Tuesday. 

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  Hawaii lawmakers had several days left Monday to reach a final budget agreement as negotiations stalled over a separate income tax relief bill.

  At an initial conference committee meeting Wednesday on House Bill 1800, Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, told House negotiators that further progress on the budget would probably depend on the outcome of Senate Bill 3125. A follow-up budget meeting scheduled for Friday was canceled, and no new face-to-face meeting had been scheduled by Monday afternoon. The deadline for a compromise budget draft was Friday.

  Lawmakers approved Hawaii’s largest income tax cut package in 2024, reducing taxes through 2031 by raising standard deductions in even-numbered years and adjusting tax brackets in odd-numbered years. Gov. Josh Green proposed in January repealing the final five years of those cuts to offset expected declines in federal funds through 2031.

  The Senate supported preserving the cuts except for higher-income households, including joint filers earning more than $350,000. The House proposed keeping standard deduction increases in 2028 and 2030, repealing bracket reductions in 2027, 2029, and 2031 for all taxpayers, and adding 1 percentage point to an upper income tier in the state’s three highest tax brackets beginning in 2027.

  Dela Cruz said the House plan would raise taxes for too many residents, including some doctors and small-business owners. Other senators echoed support for preserving the tax cuts, including Sen. Glenn Wakai, who said reversing them would be “a historic bait and switch,” and Sen. Lynn DeCoite, who said families could use the savings for major expenses.

  Sen. Lorraine Inouye said preserving the cuts would provide more immediate help than the House proposal to expand and extend tax credits for lower-income households. Sen. Kurt Fevella, the only Republican on the Senate committee, also said the credit provision would not help enough working-class families.

• April 27, 2026

  Hawaii high school surfing expands statewide in debut

  About 200 students from 20 public schools competed in OIA events this season.

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  Nearly 600 students from about 60 public and private schools joined the first statewide high school surfing season under the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, less than nine months after the Legislature funded the sport.

  Students competed from February through April in boys and girls shortboard, longboard, and bodyboard divisions. Top finishers from league championships will compete in the state championship Friday and Saturday at Hookipa Beach on Maui.

  The Oahu Interscholastic Association, the state’s largest league, held its championship Monday at Kewalo Basin Park. Organizers filled 108 competition slots across 30 heats.

  Many schools had to recruit coaches, who were required to obtain safety certifications. Students had to earn junior lifeguard certifications. Organizers also secured county permits, judges, safety crews, and school jerseys. Students provided their own boards, but school buses could not transport longboards and other equipment.

  Teri Ushijima, an assistant superintendent at the state Department of Education, said officials were encouraged by the turnout and opportunities for students.

  The state Board of Education approved surfing as a league sport in 2004, but concerns about costs, safety, access to surf breaks, and logistics slowed expansion. Before this year, only the Maui Interscholastic League offered surfing as a high school sport.

  In 2025, House Bill 133 provided $685,870 this fiscal year and the same amount next fiscal year to help public schools cover surfing costs. Hawaii is now the only U.S. state with statewide high school surfing.

• April 27, 2026

  OHA presses Pentagon, Congress on Hawaii land leases

  The Army, Navy, and Air Force lease former Hawaiian crown lands for training and weapons testing; some leases are set to expire in 2029.

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  Office of Hawaiian Affairs leaders spent three days in Washington last week meeting with members of Congress and Pentagon officials about military leases on state lands in Hawaii that expire between 2028 and 2031.

  The Army, Navy, and Air Force lease former Hawaiian crown lands, also known as ceded lands, for training and weapons testing. The leases were obtained in the 1960s for $1. The lands became part of Hawaii’s public land trust under the 1959 Admission Act. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, created by the 1978 Hawaii Constitutional Convention, said its duties include stewardship of trust lands.

  In a Friday news release, OHA said it met with leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services committees, other lawmakers from both parties, and Pentagon civilian officials, including undersecretaries overseeing bases and facilities. OHA said it is seeking language in the next National Defense Authorization Act to ensure Native Hawaiian voices are included in future decisions.

  Leases on Army-held lands, including a parcel at Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island, are set to expire first in 2029.

  At a House Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday on military readiness in the Pacific, U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, questioned Adm. Samuel Paparo, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, about whether negotiations could reach consensus if condemnation remained a possibility.

  After the state Board of Land and Natural Resources rejected the Army’s environmental impact statements on lease renewals last year, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said he hoped to expedite the process. Gov. Josh Green said Pentagon officials told his staff they were considering eminent domain.

  Asked whether that option should be removed from negotiations, Paparo said, “I think finding a consensus solution is important, and it’s above my pay grade, these terms.” He added that “our relationships within Hawaii are really critical for the operation of the joint force, and it’s our home.”

  Paparo also told Tokuda that community members, including Native Hawaiians, should be involved in the negotiations. When asked whether Native Hawaiian groups such as OHA had “had a seat at the table,” Paparo said: “I think we can work harder at it.”

• April 23, 2026

  Honolulu commission approves 4.7% pay raises

  The move came three years after major raises for city officials, including a 64% increase for council members in 2023.

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  Honolulu’s Salary Commission unanimously approved 4.7% pay increases last week for Mayor Rick Blangiardi, City Council members, and other executive employees.

  Under the proposal, council members’ salaries would rise from about $122,000 to $128,000. Council Chair Tommy Waters’ salary would remain $10,000 higher than that of other members. Blangiardi’s salary would increase from $226,000 to $237,000. Most department heads would go from $202,000 to $211,000, and their deputies from $192,000 to $201,000.

  The raises will take effect automatically unless three-fourths or more of council members vote against them within 60 calendar days. After a 2024 charter amendment approved by voters, council members can no longer vote on their own raises as a group, though they can decline them individually.

• April 17, 2026

  Judge rejects U.S. bid to block Hawaii climate suit

  A federal judge in Honolulu dismissed a Trump administration effort to stop Hawaii’s climate case against fossil fuel companies.

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  A federal judge in Honolulu on Wednesday dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that sought to stop Hawaii from suing fossil fuel companies in state court over climate change.

  U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor said the Justice Department lacked standing because its claims were too speculative. She also cited a “long-standing” policy against federal court interference in state court proceedings.

  The ruling marked the second time in 2026 that federal courts blocked the Justice Department’s efforts to head off climate lawsuits in state courts. In January, another federal judge dismissed a similar case aimed at stopping Michigan from suing major oil companies.

  The Justice Department sued Hawaii and Michigan in April 2025, before either state filed its planned case. The administration argued the lawsuits would threaten domestic energy production.

  One day after the federal suit was filed, Hawaii sued BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and other fossil fuel companies, alleging deceptive marketing practices used to sell products the companies knew would warm the planet.

  Gillmor wrote that the Justice Department’s “attempt to predict the outcome of a yet-to-be-filed lawsuit and how it could possibly injure the federal government in the future is not a concrete injury-in-fact.” She said an injury-in-fact must be real and concrete, not abstract, and that Hawaii’s stated intent to sue private companies did not amount to harm to the United States.

  She said the federal government’s theory depended on a chain of uncertain events, including the shape of Hawaii’s claims, whether the state would prevail, how companies would respond, and whether any response would harm U.S. interests, including commerce and future energy policy.

  “The allegations of such an unpredictable chain of events are no more than conjecture at this time,” Gillmor wrote.

  Gillmor also said federal courts generally do not interfere with state court litigation. “Both the states and the federal government are sovereign entities, and basic concerns of federalism counsel against interference by federal courts with the operation of state courts,” the opinion said.

  She added that Hawaii’s later filing did not support the federal government’s arguments because courts evaluate complaints based on the facts that existed when they were filed. She also noted the federal government declined an opportunity to amend its complaint after Hawaii filed its state case.

  Gillmor said that even if Hawaii’s lawsuit were considered, the United States still lacked standing because Hawaii’s case alleged advertising-related injuries from deceptive conduct, not an effort to regulate greenhouse gases or interstate pollution.

• April 17, 2026

  Hawaii tax-cut dispute heads to conference talks

  Hawaii lawmakers are weighing competing plans for scheduled tax cuts as the session nears its May 8 end.

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  Hawaii lawmakers are expected to decide in the final weeks of the legislative session whether to keep, scale back, or repeal scheduled state income tax cuts from 2027 through 2031.

  Gov. Josh Green proposed in January repealing all remaining annual cuts to preserve revenue he said was needed to offset federal cutbacks over several years. His administration said the plan would preserve about $1.8 billion in state revenue and help address nearly $3 billion in anticipated losses tied to recent federal actions.

  The issue now centers on Senate Bill 3125 after House Bill 2306 stalled when it missed a Senate deadline last week.

  The Senate Ways and Means Committee amended Senate Bill 3125 on March 5 to keep standard deduction increases in 2028 and 2030 for all taxpayers, while preserving tax bracket reductions in 2027, 2029, and 2031 for everyone except high-income filers. The proposal also would repeal seven commercial tax credits, including credits tied to renewable energy, high technology, and ship repair.

  On April 7, the House Finance Committee replaced the bill with a version closer to its earlier House proposal. That draft kept the standard deduction increases in 2028 and 2030, repealed the tax bracket reductions in 2027, 2029, and 2031 for all taxpayers, and added 1 percentage point to the tax rate on an upper income tier for taxpayers in the state’s three highest brackets starting in 2027.

  House Finance Chair Chris Todd said he expected a compromise in conference committee.

  Green administration officials opposed proposals that did not fully repeal the remaining cuts. Budget and Finance Director Seth Colby said Green’s plan was designed to provide about $600 million by fiscal year 2029-30 to balance the state’s required six-year financial plan. Without more revenue, he said, balancing the plan through spending cuts “would be very painful.”

  The governor’s proposal also would extend an elevated earned income tax credit and a food/excise tax credit to 2032 from 2027, and triple the child and dependent care tax credit. The House next is expected to vote on Senate Bill 3125, setting up House-Senate negotiations before the session ends May 8.

• April 15, 2026

  Kihei man charged in laser strikes on FBI aircraft

  The Federal Aviation Administration said in 2023 that laser strikes on aircraft are a significant public safety threat. The FBI said Hawaii has consistently had one of the highest incident rates in the country.

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  A 33-year-old Kihei man is facing federal charges after investigators said he admitted aiming a laser pointer at an FBI aircraft during a surveillance operation in January 2024.

  Jesse Kong was originally charged Aug. 21 with aiming a black VASTFIRE laser pointer at an aircraft. He was also charged April 6 with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly trying to “hinder and prevent” a friend’s “apprehension, trial, and punishment.” He is scheduled to make an initial appearance Wednesday in federal court on the accessory charge.

  According to federal court records, the FBI was conducting a night surveillance operation over Kihei on Jan. 25, 2024, when pilots reported multiple laser strikes from a fixed location at the Paradise Gardens Apartment Complex on South Kihei Road. At about 10:30 p.m. and again at 10:51 p.m., the flight team reported additional strikes from the same location.

  Court records said FBI aviators used infrared systems, GPS map overlays, optical thermal sensors, and target markers to locate the source of the beams. Maui Police Department officers responded to the parking lot identified by the FBI.

  According to an FBI search warrant application, Kong told officers that a dark pickup truck carrying the people who lasered the aircraft had left before police arrived. When asked who did it, Kong said that “he wouldn’t rat on his friends,” according to the FBI. Two men with Kong also told officers an unidentified person had aimed the laser.

  On Feb. 17, 2024, an FBI agent interviewed one of Kong’s friends, identified in court records as Lawai. After being told lasering an aircraft is a federal offense, Lawai allegedly said Kong aimed the laser. In a recorded call, Kong said, “No, you’re not going to get arrested, bro … the whole thing fell on me … But, um. Yeah, … I told him that freaking I was shining the laser and what?”

  Kong’s attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Craig W. Jerome, moved March 30 to suppress evidence obtained in a March 6 search, arguing the warrant was overly broad, contained omissions and misstatements, and that it was unclear whether any laser was intentionally aimed at the aircraft. He also argued investigators minimized the seriousness of the offense and that Lawai was pressured into naming Kong.

• April 13, 2026

  Hawaii lawmakers press to reduce Arizona inmate transfers

  Lawmakers said ending mainland transfers would require a new medium-security prison, estimated to cost $800 million to $900 million to build and $45 million to $55 million a year to operate.

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  Hawaii lawmakers are advancing a bill to reduce the number of state inmates held at a private prison in Arizona, where about 800 Hawaii prisoners are housed.

  House Bill 1769 began as a proposal requiring the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to cut its out-of-state prison population by 25% by July 1, 2029, and by another 50% by July 1, 2031. After House and Senate revisions, the measure now calls for reductions of 5% by July 1, 2027, 10% a year later, and 15% the following year.

  In 1995 then-Gov. Ben Cayetano began transferring inmates to mainland prisons to ease overcrowding at Halawa Correctional Facility, Hawaii’s only medium-security prison. Halawa was designed for 496 inmates and recently housed 818.

  Department Director Tommy Johnson told lawmakers the state wants to bring inmates back, but said the bill’s original timeline was not feasible without more prison capacity.

   

   

• April 13, 2026

  Senate stalls bid to restore Hawaii tourism funding

  HB 1950 advanced as several bills to repeal or further restructure HTA failed to move this session.

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  A bill to restore dedicated funding for the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) advanced further this session than similar efforts in recent years, but stalled in the Senate.

  House Bill 1950, introduced by Rep. Adrian Tam, D-Waikiki, would have directed part of the state’s transient accommodations tax to tourism marketing and destination management. The bill passed the House and the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, but Senate Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz, D-Mililani-Wahiawa-Whitmore Village, did not schedule a hearing.

  Dela Cruz said HTA already receives recurring support through the general fund, which preserves legislative oversight and flexibility during emergencies, including COVID-19, wildfires, floods, and volcanic activity. He also said lawmakers were still assessing HTA’s direction and performance as it operates under governance changes approved last year.

  HTA was created in 1998 and long received a share of transient accommodations tax revenue. It now relies on general fund appropriations. The agency received $63 million for fiscal 2026 and is seeking $66 million for 2027, including funding for sports tourism.

  As introduced, HB 1950 would have allocated 15% of transient accommodations tax revenue to HTA, though that provision was later removed. HTA has recommended a 10% to 12% allocation, which the agency said would bring funding closer to past levels. At 10%, funding would be about $81 million annually.

  Interim HTA President and CEO Caroline Anderson said dedicated funding would improve long-range planning and staffing. Supporters, including Sen. Lynn DeCoite, D-East Maui-Upcountry-Molokai-Lanai-Kahoolawe, and industry representatives, said the bill’s progress suggested support could continue next year or through a broader finance bill.

• April 9, 2026

  Honolulu firefighters approve $11.7M hazard pay

  Honolulu firefighters ratified a $11.7 million COVID-19 hazard pay agreement, with payments of up to $7,500 per day worked during the pandemic.

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  Honolulu firefighters approved a $11.7 million temporary hazard pay agreement for work performed during the COVID-19 public health emergency, according to city officials and the firefighters’ union.

  Members of Hawaii Fire Fighters Association Local 1463 ratified the agreement after ballots were counted last Thursday. Union President Bobby Lee said 441 firefighters voted in favor and 20 opposed. He said 939 ballots were mailed to members who worked during the period, and about half were returned.

  The agreement provided up to $7,500 for each city firefighter who worked during the emergency, which ran from March 2020 to March 2022. Lee said payments will vary by hours worked, and some firefighters will receive less than $7,500.

  Lee said the union expected payments before June 30, the end of the current fiscal year, though the mayor’s office said the payment date had not been finalized.

  For eligible active employees, Humber said 80% of the payment will be made in cash and 20% in vacation credit that can be used or paid out later.

  Lee said Honolulu was the last of Hawaii’s four major counties to reach a final hazard pay agreement with Local 1463. He said one active Local 1463 firefighter died during the pandemic after contracting COVID-19 off duty. He said no firefighter died from on-duty exposure, though some became seriously ill.

  Other city workers also were under consideration for hazard pay. The Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee on March 31 approved Resolution 74, which would provide nearly $17 million for 2,078 bus drivers and mechanics represented by Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996. The full Council was scheduled to consider final approval Wednesday.

  Council member Esther Kia‘aina also raised concerns about Department of Community Services employees who said they were excluded from hazard pay. Managing Director Mike Formby said about 20 workers disputed whether they had teleworked full time, which would make them ineligible under the city’s agreement with the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

  City officials said no additional hazard pay agreements were pending after the firefighter and Teamsters settlements. Since 2020, Hawaii public-sector unions have sought hazard pay from the state and counties for pandemic-era work.

• April 9, 2026

  Trump approves Hawaii disaster declaration

  Trump approved a federal disaster declaration for Hawaii as the state prepared for a third storm and possible flooding.

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  President Donald Trump approved a federal major disaster declaration for Hawaii after two Kona low storms caused widespread flooding and damage over a 14-day period last month, Gov. Josh Green said Wednesday night.

  Green said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him earlier Wednesday that Trump had approved the declaration. “We’ve been awarded initial federal support to help with response and early recovery efforts,” Green said in a news release. “This is an important first step.”

  The storms caused flooding on multiple islands, including Oahu’s North Shore communities of Waialua and Haleiwa. Green has estimated the cost to the state at more than $1 billion.

  The announcement came as Hawaii remained under a flood watch through Friday afternoon, with another storm expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and hazardous ocean conditions.

  Honolulu activated its Emergency Operations Center as officials prepared for possible flooding. The city said first responders were sent to flood-prone areas, police staffing was increased with a command post in Wahiawa, fire crews were staged for rapid response, and the Emergency Services Department expanded to 24-hour operations with additional ambulances and rescue units. Ocean safety teams and equipment also were deployed.

  Emergency shelters opened on Oahu at Wahiawa, Manoa Valley, Waianae, and Kaneohe district parks. On Maui, shelters opened at South Maui Community Park Gym in Kihei and the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku.

  The National Weather Service said the heaviest rain was expected late Thursday through Friday, moving from Kauai to Oahu and then east across the state. Forecasters warned that “significant flooding may occur due to excessive rainfall and overflow of streams and drainages,” with possible road closures, property damage, and landslides.

• April 7, 2026

  Honolulu panel backs 4.7% pay raise for city officials

  If the commission gives final approval at its April 22 meeting, the raises will take effect July 1, the start of fiscal year 2027.

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  Honolulu’s Salary Commission tentatively approved a 4.7% pay increase for top elected and appointed city officials, including the mayor, managing director, and nine-member City Council.

  If the commission gives final approval at its April 22 meeting, the raises will take effect July 1, the start of fiscal year 2027.

  Under the proposal, Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s salary would rise to $236,705 from $226,080. The Council chair’s pay would increase to $137,801 from $132,048, and Council members’ salaries would rise to $127,801 from $122,064.

  Other proposed increases included the managing director to $226,403 from $216,240, department heads to $211,477 from $201,984, the police chief to $261,306 from $249,576, the fire chief to $253,014 from $241,656, the prosecuting attorney to $215,343 from $214,272, and the medical examiner to $435,569 from $416,016.

  After the City Council’s 64% pay increase in 2023, voters approved a charter amendment in November 2024 capping future Council raises at 5% a year and requiring them to match the average of the most recent salary changes for the city’s collective bargaining units. The measure received a little more than 90% of the vote.

  Council spokesperson Andrew Phomsouvanh said, “Council members have no role in determining their own compensation under the current Charter.” He added that the Council recognized residents faced high living costs, economic uncertainty, and storm damage.

  Mayor’s communications director Scott Humber said the recommendation followed the voter-approved charter process and “reflects a commitment to pay city leadership a fair value for their service to the public.”

  Commissioner Elmer Ka‘ai Jr., who chaired a permitted interaction group that reviewed the salaries, said the proposal reflected a “thoughtful, data-driven and balanced approach to public-sector compensation.” He said the group reviewed past commission decisions, city human resources data, collective bargaining trends, and economic indicators, including the consumer price index.

  Commission Chair Sarah Guay noted that recent storms and the city’s proposed $5.08 billion budget for fiscal 2027 were also factors. Although she asked whether commissioners wanted to consider a 4% increase instead, the commission kept the 4.7% proposal.

  No one testified at Monday’s meeting. In written testimony, Hawaii Kai resident Natalie Iwasa opposed the proposal, saying raises should be limited to inflation, which she said was about 2.6%, given storm-related costs and budget pressures.

• April 7, 2026

  Senate panel revises lava insurance aid bill to study

  Hawaii has previously created insurance assistance for lava-affected areas. In 1991, the Hawaii Property Insurance Association was established as an insurer of last resort for homeowners who could not get coverage from private companies after the 1990 Kaimu lava flow.

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  A Hawaii Senate committee voted unanimously March 24 to rewrite House Bill 20, replacing a proposal to subsidize property insurance in high-risk lava zones with a study by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

  The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection removed the bill’s main provisions and instead directed the nonpartisan bureau to examine the proposal’s practicality and implications. The committee also recommended adding language to cover the cost of the study.

  As introduced by state Rep. Greggor Ilagan of Puna, the bill would have created a lava zone insurance fund to help pay property insurance premiums for homeowners in lava zones 1 and 2 on Hawaii island. Ilagan said the measure was intended as a temporary step to help residents facing steep premium increases after the 2018 Kilauea eruption. The House passed the bill in early March, and it was sent to the Senate on March 6.

  After the committee vote, Ilagan said he was surprised by the changes.

  “I did not see this coming,” he told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. “I thought there was only going to be two options: passing it out or killing it. I didn’t think there was a third option. But it definitely changes the bill into a study, unfortunately.”

  He said he would support the revised measure to keep it moving and said some original provisions could be restored later.

  Hawaii has previously created insurance assistance for lava-affected areas. In 1991, the Hawaii Property Insurance Association was established as an insurer of last resort for homeowners who could not get coverage from private companies after the 1990 Kaimu lava flow.

  State Insurance Commissioner Scott Saiki submitted testimony opposing the subsidy proposal. He wrote that while the state recognizes affordability problems in volcanic hazard areas, the bill raised “significant regulatory, fiscal, and market concerns.”

  “Subsidies mask the true cost of risk, (and) may encourage development and continued habitation in areas with the highest expected loss exposure, and create long-term dependence on state support rather than market-based solutions,” Saiki wrote.

  Most testimony supported the fund, including from homeowners in lava zones 1 and 2 who said premiums had become difficult to afford.

• April 2, 2026

  Hawaiian Electric Warns of Up to 30% Bill Increases

  Beginning Monday, customers can set up interest-free payment plans for up to six months to manage bills.

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  Hawaiian Electric announced that residential electricity bills in Hawaii could increase by 20% to 30% in the coming months due to rising global oil prices. The price surge follows geopolitical tensions, including attacks on Iran. Oahu residents will see higher bills starting in April, with increases for Hawaii Island and Maui County beginning in May and June.

  The utility relies on imported oil for power generation and passes the costs to customers under state regulations. A typical Oahu customer, who paid $196.43 in March, might pay an additional $39.29 to $58.93. Hawaii Island customers, who had a $224.24 average bill, could see an increase of $44.85 to $67.27.

  Hawaiian Electric, serving about 474,000 customers, offers options to ease financial strain.

  To mitigate higher costs, customers can reduce electricity use, such as limiting air conditioning, using energy-efficient devices, or investing in solar panels. Hawaiian Electric used 786,000 barrels of oil monthly in 2025 under a contract with Par Hawaii. The company is gradually shifting to renewable energy, having reduced oil use by 55 million gallons since 2008.

  Hawaii’s state law mandates 100% renewable electricity by 2045, and Hawaiian Electric forecasts meeting this goal. Renewable sources accounted for 37% of its power at the end of last year. Meanwhile, independent utility Kauai Island Utility Cooperative increased rates by 13% in April due to oil price fluctuations. It plans to boost renewable energy to 80% of its portfolio by 2029.

  Uncertainty remains as to how long high rates will persist, but the utility’s formula for rates, regulated by the state Public Utilities Commission, does not profit from fluctuating fuel costs.

• March 24, 2026

  Heavy Rain Leads to Oahu Wastewater Spills

  Heavy rain storms led to widespread wastewater spills across Oahu, prompting a brown-water advisory.

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  The City of Oahu has issued a brown-water advisory, urging residents and visitors to avoid ocean waters for at least 72 hours after the last rainfall. Recent storms have caused significant flooding and wastewater spills across the island, city officials said.

  Over two weeks, two Kona-low storms brought heavy rain and triggered wastewater spills, according to the city’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV). Facilities in Windward Oahu experienced system inflow and infiltration, leading to overflows.

  Key incidents included sewage spills from the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ahuimanu Preliminary Treatment Facility, Waimanalo Wastewater Treatment Plant, Kaneohe Tunnel Influent Facility, and facilities in Wahiawa and Laie, the department reported. These spills impacted local streams, ponds, and Lake Wilson.

• March 24, 2026

  Hawaiian Electric Biofuel Plant Gets Approval Amid Debate

  The Hawaiian Electric biofuel plant gains approval, addressing grid reliability needs despite calls for a decision delay.

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  The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a Hawaiian Electric biofuel power plant project on Oahu, disregarding a deferment request by the state’s chief energy officer, Mark Glick. The project aims to address the urgent reliability needs of the island’s electric grid.

  The PUC imposed a cost recovery cap of $847 million, with a limited inflation adjustment, to minimize the financial burden on ratepayers. Initially estimated at this amount, Hawaiian Electric revised the cost to $1.16 billion. Under the cap, typical residential customers using 500 kilowatt-hours a month can expect their monthly bills to increase by up to $3.62.

  The redevelopment will replace six outdated generation units at the Waiau Power Plant with new, more efficient turbines capable of producing 253 megawatts. The project will unfold over three phases from 2029 to 2033.

  The PUC’s conditions require the new units to run on at least 51% renewable fuel by 2032, increasing to 75% by 2040, and 100% by 2045. This is part of Hawaii’s goal to generate all electricity from renewable sources by 2045.

  Glick had proposed delaying the PUC’s decision, advocating for consideration of a Japanese company JERA’s power plant proposal, claiming it would generate electricity at a lower cost. The alternative $2 billion, 500-megawatt plant would initially use liquefied natural gas and potentially save customers $41.67 monthly while fully transitioning to renewable fuels by 2045. However, Glick’s proposal faced criticism for attempting to disrupt the competitive bidding process.

• March 24, 2026

  Hawai‘i Farmers Face $11M Storm Damage, Limited Insurance

  Hawai‘i farmers face over $10.5M in storm damages with limited crop insurance.

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  Hawai‘i farmers are grappling with over $10.5 million in damages due to three storms affecting North Shore of Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island. With only 3% of farmers carrying federal crop insurance, many are left without coverage, facing losses of crops, livestock, and infrastructure.

  The damage includes $5.2 million to Oʻahu farms, $2.7 million on the Big Island, and $2.3 million on Maui. Reports from Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union show that many farmers lack insurance, making recovery difficult. Some crops, like nurseries and bananas, have insurance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), but coverage is minimal, with only 225 out of 6,500 farms insured.

  Responding to the crisis, local and state legislators are exploring support options for these small farms, such as House Bill 2594, which could lead to a state-backed insurance program. The storms have highlighted the need for feasible insurance solutions amid increasing climate-related threats.

  Federal and state aid remains uncertain. The Trump administration’s aid restrictions and recent insurance pullbacks in states like California underscore the challenges. Local initiatives now focus on emergency loans and small grants, but many farmers, already struggling with debt, see loans as a less viable option.

  Despite the state approving $500,000 for the emergency loan program, disbursements have not fully addressed the farmers’ immediate needs, leading to potential long-term consequences for Hawai‘i’s agricultural industry.

• March 24, 2026

  Flash Flood Warnings Persist in Hawaii

  Persistent heavy rainfall continues to threaten flash flooding in Hawaii, with warnings in effect for Oahu and Hawaii island.

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  The National Weather Service has canceled the flash flood warning for Hawaii island, but a flood watch remains in effect until tonight. Despite the departure of a Kona low, unstable tropical moisture continues to pose risks. Flash flooding is still possible, forecasters warn.

  In urban Honolulu, floodwaters have begun to recede after a day of heavy rain. Specific locations, such as the Nuuanu Reservoir, recorded significant rainfall, with 4 inches in 6 hours, while the Manoa Lyon Arboretum saw over 5 inches in the same timeframe.