Background
The Hawai'i County Council is considering Bill 66, which adopts the General Plan 2045. This is a critical County policy. It determines where we build housing, how roads and water systems are funded, where energy investments go, and how the County prepares for storms, volcanic events, and other hazards. The General Plan guides every zoning decision, capital improvement, and departmental budget.
The current 2005 General Plan is 21 years old. It was written before the Kilauea eruption, COVID, the Lahaina fires, and the increasingly intense and frequent storms. It doesn't mention electric vehicles, storage, geothermal expansion, or sea level rise. It doesn't address climate adaptation. It does not acknowledge our state's 100% renewable energy mandate
The 2045 General Plan took 11 years to develop, a long process that involved the County, planning commissioners, and community members across the island; many public workshops, draft reviews, and comment periods were held starting in 2015. The final draft was released in 2024.
What's Happening
There is a proposed amendment to Bill 66 (attached), which would substantially rewrite the 2045 General Plan before the Council votes on it. The amendment removes the plan's standalone chapter on energy, sustainability, and resilience. It removes every measurable target, including the commitment to eliminate fossil-fuel electricity generation, the County fleet electrification timeline, the transit ridership goal, and the zero-waste target. It removes the "just transition" equity framework. It removes the biocultural stewardship structure that took years of community input to build. It removes accountability.
The proposed changes would negatively impact the general plan.
What You Can Do
Simply send an email to the County Council asking that the 2045 General Plan be adopted with its benchmarks and accountability structures intact. Sample testimony is listed below. The following information will help.
- Submit written testimony by noon on Monday, April 6, 2026, requesting that the County Council support 2045 General Plan
- Send email to: counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov (If you know your council member, send them a direct message too.)
- Subject line: Bill 66 — Support the 2045 General Plan
- What to Send: Three to five sentences in your words are enough. Indicate your name, where you live, and why you want the 2045 General Plan adopted with its measurable targets and accountability structures intact.
If you can also testify live (in person at the County Building in Hilo or West Hawai'i Civic Center, or via Zoom), register by noon April 6 at councilremotetestimony@hawaiicounty.gov or call (808) 961-8255. The calendar has not yet been updated with the actual meeting date and time, but you can expect it to be Tuesday, April 7, starting at 9 AM.
Please send your testimony by noon on April 6, and forward this email to your network.