Hawaii Green Fee Seeks Public Input Before Nov. 1

By Nathan Snyder, Editor

Hawaii’s Green Fee Advisory Council is taking public project ideas, votes and comments through 11:59 p.m. Hawaii time Nov. 1 for a second funding cycle the Honolulu Star-Advertiser described as involving around $200 million in state funding under consideration — money that has not been enacted — as hotel operators watch how transient accommodations tax receipts are steered into environmental and resilience projects.

Second Round, Public Votes, No Automatic Funding

The Star-Advertiser reported Oct. 28 that the Green Fee is financed by a hike in transient accommodations taxes under a 2025 state law and is limited to environmental stewardship, climate and hazard resilience, and sustainable tourism.

In the inaugural round, 91 projects received legislative approval in May for $129 million appropriated through June 30, 2027, the Star-Advertiser said. The newspaper reported that the council considered more than 600 submissions seeking roughly $2 billion and that 75 projects were recommended by the governor and council before lawmakers approved the 91-project list.

KITV, in a report dated Oct. 21 and updated Oct. 27, quoted council chair Jeff Mikulina saying 62 projects totaling $94 million had been approved for funding release and that the program had generated more than $100 million.

“That input is really critical,” Mikulina said during a webinar last week, according to the Star-Advertiser. “It helps us understand community priorities.”

The Star-Advertiser said registered users on greenfeehawaii.org may cast no more than one vote per project, and that submitting an idea is not the same as a formal funding application. Mikulina told KITV that submitting an idea or receiving community support upvotes does not automatically result in funding.