HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	63
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO FACILITATE AND ACCELERATE THE ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS TO DECARBONIZE HAWAI I'S TRANSPORTATION SECTOR AND SUPPORT THE STATE'S CLIMATE GOALS.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the transportation sector is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the State, accounting for approximately forty-eight percent of total emissions in Hawai i, while the transportation sector accounts for roughly thirty percent of total emissions in the United States; and

 

     WHEREAS, aviation plays a critical role in Hawai i's transportation system, supporting tourism, commerce, and essential interisland travel; and

 

     WHEREAS, aviation is also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions within the transportation sector; and

 

     WHEREAS, sustainable aviation fuels, produced from renewable feedstocks such as agricultural waste, used cooking oils, and algae, offer a viable and immediate solution to significantly reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with air travel; and

 

     WHEREAS, several states, including California, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington, have enacted legislation and established policies to encourage the production, distribution, and adoption of sustainable aviation fuels; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State established goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by fifty percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions across all transportation sectors by 2045; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawai i State Energy Office's 2023 report, Hawai i Pathways to Decarbonization, identifies increasing the use of renewable liquid fuels, including sustainable aviation fuels, as essential for the State to achieve its goal of net‑zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045; and

 

     WHEREAS, Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, established zero-emission goals for all modes of transportation, including ground, interisland air, and interisland sea transportation; and

 

     WHEREAS, the settlement agreement in Navahine v. Hawai i Department of Transportation acknowledges the constitutional right of Hawai i's youth to a life-sustaining climate and commits the State to developing a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan within one year to decarbonize Hawai i's transportation system over the next twenty years; and

 

     WHEREAS, the adoption and acceleration of sustainable aviation fuel usage are critical for achieving the State's climate goals, supporting its commitments under the Navahine v. Hawai i Department of Transportation settlement, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Hawai i's transportation and tourism sectors; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Transportation is requested to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels across Hawai i's aviation sector to decarbonize Hawai i's transportation sector and support the State's climate goals; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to work in collaboration with the Hawai i State Energy Office, major airlines serving Hawai i, fuel producers, and other stakeholders to establish policies, incentives, and infrastructure to support the production, distribution, and use of sustainable aviation fuels in the State; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to integrate sustainable aviation fuel adoption into the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan required by the Navahine v. Hawai i Department of Transportation settlement agreement; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to submit a report on the progress made in facilitating the adoption and acceleration of sustainable aviation fuels, including any proposed legislation to further support this effort, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Transportation, and Chief Energy Officer of the Hawai i State Energy Office.

Report Title: 

Department of Transportation; Sustainable Aviation Fuels; Decarbonization; Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan