Committee advances $20M DHHL geothermal exploration request after heated public opposition; mandates EIS and beneficiary consultation

The House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs on Feb. 11 voted to advance HB1307, a bill that would appropriate funding to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) for geophysical investigation, slim‑hole drilling and water‑well development to evaluate geothermal resources on Hawaiian home lands.

Why it matters: HB1307 proposes state support for a controversial step toward geothermal energy production on lands reserved for native Hawaiian beneficiaries. The appropriation the department requested — roughly $20 million — would finance additional exploration intended to determine whether geothermal power could be developed by private industry under a public‑private arrangement. For beneficiaries and nearby communities the proposal raises environmental, cultural and health concerns and questions about process and consent.

What proponents said: Holly Watson, Director of DHHL, and Russell Kaupau, a permitted‑interaction group staff member, said the funding is intended to validate and narrow candidate sites. Kaupau told the committee the exploratory work is “to produce information that we can go to private industry and enter into some sort of arrangement for private industry to develop geothermal electricity development on Hawaiian homelands.” DHHL representatives said further environmental review under chapter 343 and future third‑party contracts would be required before any commercial development.

What opponents said: Dozens of community members and cultural practitioners testified in opposition during the public comment period. Navahine Kahoe, PE, a kupuna and Hawaiian Homelands resident, said the project “reeks of environmental racism” and alleged there had been no beneficiary consultation for some proposed sites. Cindy Freitas, a cultural practitioner, and other witnesses listed public health concerns tied to hydrogen sulfide (H2S), cultural impacts to wahi pana and a history of industrial siting near Hawaiian homesteads. Several witnesses urged completion of a full environmental impact statement (EIS) before any exploration funding is expended.

Key procedural outcome: The committee advanced HB1307 with technical HD2 amendments and recorded a clear standing expectation that DHHL must comply with HRS chapter 343 (the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act) and undertake formal beneficiary consultation in affected communities before moving into development. The vote recorded member reservations and at least one member who did not cast a recorded vote; the recommendation moved to the next committee with those recorded concerns.

Clarifying details - DHHL testimony: “we have over 29,000 on our wait list,” and the department described prior large appropriations that have been substantially spent; the geothermal petition seeks about $20,000,000 for additional study and “slim holes.” (Holly Watson; Russell Kaupau) - DHHL process: DHHL staff said the permitted‑interaction group has conducted listening sessions and that the requested funding would support expanded geophysical testing and limited drilling to validate resources prior to any request for private partners.

Ending: Committee members asked DHHL to return with a beneficiary consultation plan and to confirm the sequencing of chapter 343 environmental review prior to any site validation or drilling. The measure was advanced to the next legislative stage with committee expectations that consultation and statutory environmental review occur before development decisions.