Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Decision Day: Legislators Could Set New Course by Banning Future Construction of Fossil Fuel Plants

• April 30, 4 pm HST Update: Still waiting on word on the fate of HB 1464, which was taken up again today by a conference committee.
Will they or won’t they? What Hawaii legislators do in conference committee today with HB 1464 could make headlines across the country and around the world starting about an hour after their vote.

Approval of the anti-fossil fuel legislation would be one of those “crossing the Rubicon” moments – no turning back from a course once begun. In this case, the state of Hawaii would declare no turning back from a decision to make it the global focal point in the elimination of fossil fuel from our daily energy diet.

If they’re still on schedule, the conferees will meet today to make that stand or shy away from it. A full-page ad in today’s Honolulu Advertiser sponsored by Blue Planet Foundation lists more than two dozen co-sponsors and carries photos of Governor Linda Lingle and congressional representatives Mazie Hirono and Neil Abercrombie.

One thing seems certain: If shyness prevails over courage today at the Capitol, courage would win out in next year’s session. So why wait?

No comments: