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HB 1981

RELATING TO A PROGRAM TO CHARACTERIZE CARBON SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL AND GEOTHERMAL AND UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES STATEWIDE.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Luke Evslin and 11 co-sponsors

Hawaii establishes statewide program to assess carbon sequestration, geothermal, and groundwater resources to guide renewable energy and climate strategy decisions.

The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Matsumoto; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
#appropriations($) #carbonsequestration #geothermalexploration #hawaiistateenergyoffice #waterresources
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Bill Summary · HB 1981

Legislative bill overview

HB 1981 establishes a statewide program to assess Hawaii's carbon sequestration potential and evaluate geothermal and underground water resources. The bill directs state agencies to conduct comprehensive characterization studies of these natural resources to inform future energy, climate, and water management policy decisions.

Why is this important

Hawaii faces significant challenges meeting renewable energy targets and managing freshwater resources on islands with limited land area. Understanding carbon sequestration capacity, geothermal potential, and groundwater reserves could unlock alternative energy sources and climate mitigation strategies critical to the state's sustainability goals and reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Potential points of contention

  • Environmental and cultural concerns: Geothermal and groundwater development projects can impact native Hawaiian sacred sites, ecosystems, and traditional practices, requiring careful balance between resource assessment and cultural protection
  • Cost and implementation timeline: Comprehensive statewide characterization requires significant state funding and technical expertise; unclear how resources will be allocated or whether findings will lead to actionable projects
  • Private sector involvement: Unclear whether private companies will have access to findings or extraction rights, raising questions about profit distribution and regulatory oversight of resource development

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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