RELATING TO A PROGRAM TO CHARACTERIZE THE POTENTIAL OF UNDERGROUND ENERGY RESOURCES STATEWIDE.
SB3081 establishes the Underground Energy Resource Characterization Program within the Hawaii State Energy Office, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii’s Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center. The program is intended to identify the location and characteristics of accessible geothermal heat and carbon sequestration resources statewide using slim-hole boring methods, which are exploratory wells with a relatively small diameter. The bill also directs the office to compile and share information about geothermal energy, including its role in energy self-sufficiency and the opportunities and concerns associated with development.
The measure requires that if a resource is identified that could support geothermal development, the State Energy Office must seek funding for an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement under chapter 343. That review must involve relevant state agencies, including the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Health, and include input from Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners. The bill further requires annual reports to the Legislature on geothermal technology and activity in other states, plus a progress report due before the 2028 regular session, with public access to the report in mapping-friendly formats. It also appropriates money from the energy security special fund for fiscal year 2026-2027, though the amount is left blank in the text provided.
The bill would add a new statutory program to chapter 196, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and would formally place geothermal and underground resource characterization activities within the State Energy Office’s responsibilities. It also creates a reporting and public-information framework around geothermal exploration and carbon sequestration potential, and ties future development to environmental review requirements and interagency consultation. The bill’s stated effective date is April 19, 2042.
Overall sentiment appears supportive. The bill passed Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs unanimously with amendments and later passed Senate Ways and Means unanimously and unamended, indicating broad agreement on the need for further geothermal resource characterization. The House action noted passage on second reading with amendments and referral onward, with some representatives voting aye with reservations, suggesting general support but some caution.
The main points of contention are not explicit in the available transcripts, but the bill itself signals likely areas of concern: environmental impacts, land use, cultural impacts, and the need for Native Hawaiian consultation before development proceeds. The discussion in the bill text also acknowledges fiscal constraints and frames the program as a more modest investment, which suggests funding level and prioritization may be sensitive issues. The reservation votes in the House committee action likely reflect those concerns rather than opposition to the concept of geothermal exploration itself.
SB3081 would create a new program in chapter 196, Hawaii Revised Statutes, within the Hawaii State Energy Office to conduct statewide underground energy resource characterization using slim-hole bores. It would require the office to coordinate with the University of Hawaii, seek environmental review funding if promising resources are found, consult with state agencies and Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, and provide recurring reports to the Legislature and the public. The bill also appropriates funds from the energy security special fund for implementation, thereby authorizing state spending for geothermal and carbon sequestration exploration activities.
The bill appears to have broad support in committee and on the floor, with unanimous Senate votes at both the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Ways and Means stages. The House action also advanced the measure, though some members voted aye with reservations, indicating support for the program but caution about implementation details, impacts, or funding. Overall, the tone in the available record is favorable toward geothermal exploration and resource mapping, paired with a strong emphasis on environmental review and community engagement.
The most likely areas of contention are environmental and cultural impacts, land use concerns, and the scope of state spending. The bill explicitly requires environmental assessment or environmental impact statement review and input from Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, suggesting these are important issues for stakeholders. The text also notes constrained state finances and describes the appropriation as modest, which implies debate over whether the funding is sufficient or appropriately prioritized. The House committee’s “aye with reservations” votes suggest some members supported the concept but had concerns about one or more of these implementation issues.