House Adopts Hanabusa Amendment to Study Renewable Energy Opportunities on Hawaiian Home Lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 21, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — By voice vote, the House adopted an amendment proposed by U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa (HI-01) to a controversial bill that would expand drilling and energy development on public lands.

The Hanabusa amendment requires the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, to study renewable energy opportunities on lands designated as Hawaiian Home Lands.

On the House floor, Hanabusa said, “As you know, Hawaii is in a unique situation in that, in 1920, this Congress created the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, and there is a special body of approximately 203,000 acres of land in Hawaii, which is under the control of Congress. Congress approves whether or not things can be amended in the Act. Even upon statehood, that right was retained by Congress.

“This amendment seeks to have Hawaiian Home Lands that the state agency, or department responsible for the administration of these lands, has selected to be used for the development of geothermal, solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources included in the Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy Production Strategy. It has no implications other than the fact that these lands could be used for renewable energy development and that these lands have somehow become forgotten, but do necessarily fall under Federal jurisdiction.”

Video of Hanabusa’s floor debate: http://bit.ly/1h1hEgX

The House will vote on H.R. 1965 later this week.