“Break Free from Fossil Fuels” protest to take place outside Hawaii Gas
Hawaiʻi residents call on Hawaii Gas to drop Liquified Natural Gas as part of a global movement to "break free" from fossil fuels.
A group of Honolulu County residents plan to protest outside the Hawaii Gas headquarters in Downtown Honolulu on Friday, May 13, in the hopes that the company will drop its latest proposal to import more fossil fuel gas to Hawaiʻi. The Honolulu protest coincides with “Break Free from Fossil Fuels,” a global day of action as people around the world are scheduled to participate in demonstrations against fossil fuels projects which they say are dangerous and unnecessary.
“Importing more fossil fuel is not the way to achieve Hawaiʻi’s 100 percent renewable energy goals,” said David Mulinix of Idle No More Hawaiʻi. “We should be focusing on the installation of solar panels and batteries, not new schemes to further our dependence on imported fossil fuel.”
Hawaii Gas was recently granted approval by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to import Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) to Hawaiʻi. The project will require investment in new infrastructure and create new demand for fossil fuels in the islands, which demonstrators say is bad for Hawaiʻi’s future.
“The science is clear,” said Sherry Pollack of 350.org Hawaiʻi. “If we are to keep below the tipping point for climate chaos and protect our ‘life support system’—the planet—scientists have confirmed we must take bold action now to stop burning fossil fuels. The reality is that the proposed LNG plans by Hawaii Gas will exacerbate the climate crisis by supporting the burning of fossil fuels for decades.”
“Hawaii Gas is looking out for their own corporate profits and not the best interests of Hawaiʻi’s people when they talk about importing LNG to our islands,” said Marti Townsend, director of the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi.
LNG is touted by the industry as a cleaner, cheaper “bridge fuel,” but the methane that is released when LNG is mined, and that must be regularly vented while it is stored, contributes as much or more to global climate change as carbon pollution from coal or oil.
“The truth is LNG is still a dirty fossil fuel that makes no economic sense for Hawaiʻi,” said Henry Curtis of Life of the Land. “If anything, LNG is nothing but a broken bridge that climate experts assert actually accelerates climate warming.”
Pollock added that Hawaii Gas fails to factor in the price Hawaiʻi is already paying for past reliance on fossil fuels when it makes its cost-benefit analysis. “Look at our loss of coastline, coral reefs and trades winds, not to mention the destruction caused to communities where fracking occurs,” she said. “This is unacceptable.”
On April 6, 2016, the PUC approved Hawaii Gas’ application to bring in containers of LNG from the mainland for up to 30 percent of their supply needs. This is a first step in Hawaii Gas’ broader plans to further expand the use of LNG in Hawaiʻi, which entails spending $200 million for infrastructure. This includes off-shore docking facilities and a pipeline system to bring the fuel onshore.
“All this expense and effort for something that’s supposed to be temporary makes no sense,” said Mulinix. “Considering the State of Hawaiʻi’s goal is to attain 100 percent renewable electric generation by 2045, we should be focusing on improving our options for that.”
Hawaiʻi Governor David Ige signed a bill into law last year committing the state to using only renewable sources of energy by 2045. As part of that policy, the governor denounced LNG as a distraction from achieving our longer term goals.
This weekend’s actions are aimed at persuading governments and institutions to divest from fossil fuels and speed up the just transition to 100 percent renewable energy. The planned peaceful mobilizations are intended to serve as an important turning point in the trajectory to increase pressure on the fossil fuel industry.
“We refuse to stand idly by and let short-sighted companies wreak havoc on our planet and our children’s future,” said Pollock. “That is why we are saying ‘no’ to LNG.”
The Honolulu action is being co-sponsored by 350.org Hawaiʻi, Idle No More Hawaiʻi, Life of the Land, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, DeOccupy Honolulu, Hawaiʻi Interfaith Power and Light, Surfrider Foundation Oʻahu Chapter, Transition Oahu and the Windward Ahupuaʻa Alliance.
