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Mālama I Ka Honuacherish the Earth Mālama I Ka HonuaCherish the Earth JAN - MAR A Quartery Journal of the SIERRA CLUB OF HAWAI‘I 2015 Farewell, Volunteer Geothermal in Nate’s Group Reports Robert Harris in the Spotlight Hawai‘i Adventures and Outings Saying thanks and goodbye Recognizing the valuable A look at Sierra Club's Koa bugs… Hawai‘i's News, issues, and hikes on to SC Hawai‘i’s Director contributions of Anthony Aalto policy on geothermal “less-stink” stink bug your island PAge 4 PAge 6 PAge 7 PAge 10 PAges 12-21 Chapter Political Team Rises to Big Money Challenges The political efforts of the Sierra David Ige for Governor” Club of Hawai‘i once again achieved davidige.org/media/ success. In a nail-biter of a primary, video/#prettyPhoto/11/ Senator Brian Schatz beat his In the state legislature, opponent by just 1,782 votes, and he the majority of our publicly credited the Sierra Club of candidates won. Senator Hawai‘i for helping him win. Malama Solomon, who After Mark Takai pulled out a attempted to block the Albert Perez, Mark Takai, Scott Glenn, Steve Montgomery narrow victory in the general election repeal of the unpopular to claim a seat in the U.S. House Public Lands Development of Representatives, he too publicly Corporation (PLDC) legislation, was Can super PAC money thanked the Club for helping tip the not reelected. The Club supported decide Hawai‘i’s future? balance his way. her opponent. In the State Senate At the state level, our endorsed our endorsement of Gil Riviere and This election was a test, Governor—Lieutenant Governor Sierra Club efforts to turn out the vote and the heartening news candidates David Ige and Shan Tsutsui helped provide the winning margin; won by double digits after initially he defeated Richard Fale by just 455 is that Club members being down in the polls. Mahalo to votes. Fale has a woeful record on and other voters are our members who rallied to help push environmental issues. these candidates over the top. In the State House we were able becoming more aware of To see Ige’s remarks on accepting to secure the reelection of Chris Lee, the endorsement and stating his the stalwart chair of the Energy & the negative impact of environmental goals, watch the Environmental Protection Committee. corporate money. short video “Sierra Club Endorses In the Ewa Beach district, the vice Continued on page 3 candidates during a tough election year. FROM THE Because of this experience, the Chapter Executive CHAPTER CHAIR Committee is committed to not only hiring a superlative By Scott Glenn director, but also to expanding our professional staff to further assist our volunteers with protecting Hawai‘i’s Aloha and Happy New Year! environment and taking on global weirding. Please look 2015 is a year of change for the forward to more on the hiring process and our future staff Hawai‘i Chapter. Internally and direction in the next Mālama once our director is on board. externally, new opportunities and Externally, we welcome Governor David Ige and all the challenges are before us. elected leaders. Governor Ige’s promise of forthrightness This past year we said and transparency are welcome as we look to work with mahalo and aloha to our beloved and brilliant Director him and hold him to that promise. We also look forward to Robert Harris and our inspiring and energetic campaign working with the state legislature, mayors, city and county coordinator Caitlin Pomerantz. Robert’s leadership councils, and agency directors and staff to make sure we has resulted in milestone victories for the Club and we measure twice and cut once when it comes to irrevocably look forward to supporting him in his future endeavors allocating Hawai‘i’s limited natural and financial resources. fighting for Hawai‘i’s renewable energy future. We also say Some examples of these efforts will be on ensuring we mahalo and aloha to Dr. Matt LoPresti, formerly of the continue on our march toward greater use of renewable O‘ahu Group Executive Committee and now elected State energy resources like solar and we avoid dead-end detours Representative of House District 41 Ewa Beach. like LNG. Probably the greatest challenge on this front Internally, we welcome new members to our Chapter is the proposed sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries and Group Executive Committees. We also will have our to NextEra. Environmental impacts must always be new director in place in early 2015. The Chapter has been considered in deciding what is best for the ratepayer and pursuing a rigorous process to ensure we find a director the State of Hawai‘i. We also urge the University of Hawai‘i who can meet the varied needs of the Club and lead us and other large investing entities to divest themselves of toward our next phase of growth. fossil fuel investments. Ultimately, what’s really at issue is Over the course of this year, we have learned that we stopping climate change, promoting energy independence, are at our most effective when we have professional staff and making Hawai‘i a more affordable place to live by such as our director, but we’ve also learned two more getting Hawai‘i off imported fossil fuels and relying more things: One director is not enough to achieve our mission. on its indigenous, bountiful energy. The other is how resilient and resourceful our volunteer Mahalo for all you do for Hawai‘i’s environment and the leadership is as we banded together to meet the varied Club. It’s a pleasure working with you. challenges of running the Club and campaigning for our passed policy resolutions supporting a ban on fracking and National Happenings a better clean energy policy, and one urging participants in the UN Climate Summit to commit to binding policies The Annual Meeting of the Council of Club Leaders and concerning climate change mitigation and adaptation. National Sierra Club Board of Directors was held in San The annual Sierra Club awards banquet was held on Francisco on Nov 20-22, 2014. The Council is an advisory November 21. Dr. Steven Montgomery received a Special body that makes recommendations to the board each year. The Achievement Award for successfully lobbying to bring the Council delegates are selected by each of the 65 Sierra Club IUCN World chapters. The delegates deliberated and passed nine resolutions Conservation on November 20, which were presented to the Board of Congress to Directors on November 21 for their consideration and action. Hawai‘i in 2016. Roberta Brashears-Kaulfers represented Hawai‘i Chapter. The Hawai‘i Chapter put forward resolution 5, a request that National Sierra Club fund a delegation to attend the Award recipient Dr. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Steven Montgomery World Conservation Congress (WCC), to be held in Hawai‘i pictured with in September 2016. Besides resolutions recommending Roberta Brashear- administrative and organizational changes, the board also Kaulfers 2 • Mālama I Ka Honua January - March 2015 SIERRA CLUB The Role of the Sierra Club of Chapter Political Team Continued from page 1 Hawai‘i PAC in the 2014 Elections chair of the Sierra Club O‘ahu Group, Matt LoPresti, beat the incumbent Rida The Sierra Club of Hawai‘i Political priorities. In another House race, Matt Cabanilla, thanks to Club support. Action Committee is not a formal LoPresti, Vice Chair of the O‘ahu Group, Almost all our other endorsees for the arm of the Sierra Club. It is separately defeated the incumbent Rida Cabanilla legislature won. financed, conducts its business and will now represent Ewa Beach in the At the county level, candidates separately from the state Chapter House. Both Matt and Rida credit the we endorsed faced a million-dollar committees, and takes no direction from PAC for having a major impact. campaign by Forward Progress, a super the Chapter. These strictures are all in In the state Senate the PAC’s efforts PAC financed by unnamed developer/ place to ensure that we do not violate on behalf of Gil Riviere may well have construction funders. Forward Progress campaign finance laws or endanger the provided the winning margin—he appears to be run and funded by the Club’s favorable tax status as a “social defeated Richard Fale by just 455 same entities that supported the now welfare organization.” votes. Fale has a woeful record on discredited Pacific Resources Partnership All that being said, the PAC takes environmental issues and a poor (PRP) campaign in the 2012 elections. upon itself the task of advancing the reputation among House members, Forward Progress poured money into general goals of the Sierra Club through which the PAC was happy to point out defeating County Council members Elle its participation in the electoral process. in our campaign materials. Cochran on Maui, Margaret Wille on the So as a collegial gesture, here’s a brief The PAC was less successful in Big Island, and other environmentally summary of the PAC’s activities this backing a newcomer, Terez Amato, in a friendly candidates. Cochran and Wille election cycle. We raised about $25,000. primary campaign against the powerful have fought to control sprawl across our A mailer sent to every voting household chair of the Senate Consumer Protection agricultural lands, to preserve ocean in a legislative district costs between Committee, Roz Baker. Baker has fought access, and to regulate pesticides. With $3,500 and $5,500 to print and mail, so Sierra Club efforts to promote rooftop Club support, they both won, despite we decided to target six races. solar as part of the shift to a clean energy an onslaught of deceptive mailers from These efforts produced three economy.
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