Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii House Bill HR31 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 31 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE RESOLUTION requesting the university of hawaii to conduct a viability study of nuclear energy development in hawaii.
2	2
3	3	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO. 31
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
6	6
7	7	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8	8
9	9	H.R. NO.
10	10
11	11	31
12	12
13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
14	14
15	15
16	16
17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
18	18
19	19
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29	HOUSE RESOLUTION
30	30
31	31
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35	requesting the university of hawaii to conduct a viability study of nuclear energy development in hawaii.
36	36
37	37
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	WHEREAS, nuclear energy offers a safe and highly efficient alternative to fossil fuels and provides a sustainable solution for meeting growing energy demands while reducing environmental impact; and WHEREAS, nuclear power programs have been rapidly developed and expanded throughout Europe, Asia, and in many areas within the continental United States to generate affordable renewable energy; and WHEREAS, the United States has ninety-four commercial nuclear reactors and ninety-nine naval nuclear reactors that generate firm clean power that support the economy and national security; and WHEREAS, a Pew Research Center survey from May 2024 shows that fifty-six percent of adults in the United States are in favor of developing nuclear power plants to generate affordable electricity; and WHEREAS, the electricity rates in Hawaii are more than one hundred percent higher than the national average; and WHEREAS, Hawaii remains dependent on imported fossil fuels for more than eighty percent of its energy generation despite having renewable energy sources that contribute to the State's electric grids; and WHEREAS, solar and wind energy sources operate on large areas of land and have adverse effects on the surrounding environment and communities; and WHEREAS, the development of Small Modular Reactors, which are nuclear fission reactors that have up to three hundred megawatts of electric capacity per unit, or about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors, has progressed to a point where these reactors can operate safely near or within populated areas without concern; and WHEREAS, there are no operating nuclear reactors or fuel cycle facilities in Hawaii except for those that are operated by the federal government at Pearl Harbor; and WHEREAS, Hawaii is in need of affordable and reliable firm power to support its communities, industries, and economy; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body requests the University of Hawaii to conduct a study of the viability of nuclear energy development in Hawaii to support and create a reliable, safe, and economical renewable energy source; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this study is requested to investigate the cost, safety, and utility of nuclear energy development in Hawaii; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii is requested to submit a report of its findings on the viability of nuclear energy development in Hawaii and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature, as well as the United States Secretary of Energy, United States Secretary of Commerce, United States Secretary of Defense, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Maui, Mayor of the County of Kauai, and Mayor of the County of Hawaii, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that adoption of this Resolution by either house of the Legislature does not constitute approval required under article XI, section 8, of the Hawaii State Constitution to construct a nuclear fission power plant or dispose of radioactive material in the State; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Energy, United States Secretary of Commerce, United States Secretary of Defense, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor, President of the University of Hawaii System, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Maui, Mayor of the County of Kauai, and Mayor of the County of Hawaii. OFFERED BY: _____________________________
44	44
45	45	WHEREAS, nuclear energy offers a safe and highly efficient alternative to fossil fuels and provides a sustainable solution for meeting growing energy demands while reducing environmental impact; and
46	46
47	47
48	48
49	49	WHEREAS, nuclear power programs have been rapidly developed and expanded throughout Europe, Asia, and in many areas within the continental United States to generate affordable renewable energy; and
50	50
51	51
52	52
53	53	WHEREAS, the United States has ninety-four commercial nuclear reactors and ninety-nine naval nuclear reactors that generate firm clean power that support the economy and national security; and
54	54
55	55
56	56
57	57	WHEREAS, a Pew Research Center survey from May 2024 shows that fifty-six percent of adults in the United States are in favor of developing nuclear power plants to generate affordable electricity; and
58	58
59	59
60	60
61	61	WHEREAS, the electricity rates in Hawaii are more than one hundred percent higher than the national average; and
62	62
63	63
64	64
65	65	WHEREAS, Hawaii remains dependent on imported fossil fuels for more than eighty percent of its energy generation despite having renewable energy sources that contribute to the State's electric grids; and
66	66
67	67
68	68
69	69	WHEREAS, solar and wind energy sources operate on large areas of land and have adverse effects on the surrounding environment and communities; and
70	70
71	71
72	72
73	73	WHEREAS, the development of Small Modular Reactors, which are nuclear fission reactors that have up to three hundred megawatts of electric capacity per unit, or about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors, has progressed to a point where these reactors can operate safely near or within populated areas without concern; and
74	74
75	75
76	76
77	77	WHEREAS, there are no operating nuclear reactors or fuel cycle facilities in Hawaii except for those that are operated by the federal government at Pearl Harbor; and
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	WHEREAS, Hawaii is in need of affordable and reliable firm power to support its communities, industries, and economy; now, therefore,
82	82
83	83
84	84
85	85	BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body requests the University of Hawaii to conduct a study of the viability of nuclear energy development in Hawaii to support and create a reliable, safe, and economical renewable energy source; and
86	86
87	87
88	88
89	89	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this study is requested to investigate the cost, safety, and utility of nuclear energy development in Hawaii; and
90	90
91	91
92	92
93	93	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii is requested to submit a report of its findings on the viability of nuclear energy development in Hawaii and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature, as well as the United States Secretary of Energy, United States Secretary of Commerce, United States Secretary of Defense, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Maui, Mayor of the County of Kauai, and Mayor of the County of Hawaii, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and
94	94
95	95
96	96
97	97	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that adoption of this Resolution by either house of the Legislature does not constitute approval required under article XI, section 8, of the Hawaii State Constitution to construct a nuclear fission power plant or dispose of radioactive material in the State; and
98	98
99	99
100	100
101	101	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Energy, United States Secretary of Commerce, United States Secretary of Defense, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor, President of the University of Hawaii System, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Maui, Mayor of the County of Kauai, and Mayor of the County of Hawaii.
102	102
103	103
104	104
105	105
106	106
107	107
108	108
109	109	OFFERED BY: _____________________________
110	110
111	111
112	112
113	113	OFFERED BY:
114	114
115	115	_____________________________
116	116
117	117
118	118
119	119
120	120
121	121
122	122
123	123	Report Title: Requesting the University of Hawaii to conduct a viability study of nuclear energy development in Hawaii.
124	124
125	125	Report Title:
126	126
127	127	Requesting the University of Hawaii to conduct a viability study of nuclear energy development in Hawaii.