Gabbard Is Off & Running!

Senator Mike Gabbard hasn't missed a beat between running for re-election, winning his bid, and jumping into the 2011 legislative session. He has recently been spotted all over the island at events such as the launch of hydrogen power stations for clean running cars, informational briefings on environmental & community health issues, as well as his popular "Listen Story" meetings.

Senator Gabbard also found time to take a goodwill trip to Taiwan with other senators. The visit was paid for by the Taiwanese government and provided an opportunity for Mike to make important connections and get ideas for ways we can improve life here at home.

I encourage everyone to get involved in the legislative process this year by regularly checking Mike's website and reading his newsletters. Let him hear from you when you agree or disagree with legislation. You'll be impressed with how responsive Senator Gabbard is to any and all of your concerns.

Impressive Results for Senator Gabbard

Well, election season 2010 has finally come to an end. We are thrilled that 76% of the vote in the Primary Election and 74% in the General Election was for Senator Mike Gabbard.

Senator Gabbard worked hard going door-to-door throughout the campaign to talk to people and find out about their concerns and ideas. He has accomplished a lot since he was elected in 2006 but as he says, "there’s still much more work to be done in our growing community".

Mike will also be able to continue on as the Chair of the Senate’s Energy and Environment Committee. Living and representing the fastest growing area of the state which is also blessed with many hot, sunny days makes Senator Gabbard a perfect match for the Energy and Environment Committee.

Recently Senator Gabbard was on-hand for the Ground Breaking for the Kalaeloa Solar One project in Kalaeloa. This will be a 5 MW Concentrating Solar Power project. There are also plans to put in an additional 20-30 MW of solar farms in Kalaeloa over the next few years.

Additionally, in Kunia and Mililani there will be a 20 MW solar farm headed up by Castle & Cooke. Many families in this area are getting solar water heaters and photovoltaic panels put on their homes every week to save on their electricity costs and at the same time do good for our environment.

Thanks to all of the people who placed their votes of confidence on Senator Mike Gabbard. The best is yet to come!

Congratulations, Senator Gabbard!

Senator Mike Gabbard was able to defeat his democratic opponent in the September 18th Primary Election. He received an impressive 76% of the vote! Mike is respected and loved in his district because of his hard work and dedication to helping all of his constituents.

Senator Gabbard faces a General Election opponent on November 2nd. Good luck, Mike!

Sen. Gabbard Recognizes the Importance of the Hawai'i Conservation Conference

Recently, Hawai'i State Senator Mike Gabbard attended the Hawai'i Conservation Conference, hosted by the Hawai'i Conservation Alliance (HCA). It’s no surprise that Sen. Gabbard would be interested in this important meeting; he is recognized as a dedicated environmentalist.

For 18 years the HCA has hosted the largest annual conservation gathering in Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i Conservation Conference engages scientists and managers, educators and students, political leaders and community members in an ongoing dialogue about Hawai‘i’s conservation challenges and their solutions.

The 2010 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference, which was focused on the theme Pacific Ecosystem Management and Restoration: Applying Traditional and Western Knowledge Systems, was honored to host Governor Tulafono as a Keynote Speaker. For many years The Honorable Togiola T.A. Tulafono, 52nd Governor of American Samoa, has demonstrated strong leadership on critical conservation issues. Governor Tulafono continues to be a key participant on the United States Coral Reef Task Force, was instrumental in the designation of Rose Atoll as a National Marine Monument, and has shown true leadership in addressing global climate change impacts on Pacific Island communities.

Sen. Gabbard presented an honorary certificate on behalf of the Hawai'i State Senate to HCA and the Honorable Togiola T.A. Tulafono upon the opening of the 2010 Hawai'i Conservation Conference. He stated, "Mahalo nui loa for joining together to consider our diverse knowledge systems and approaches in order to best care for our ‘āina and its people, now and into the future."

Re-Elect Senator Gabbard

Mike Gabbard has officially kicked-off his campaign for re-election to Senate District #19 (Honokai Hale, Kapolei, Kalaeloa, Makakilo, Kunia, Village Park, Waikele, and portions of Ko Olina and Waipahu).

He has accomplished a lot of exciting things for the district, for his constituents, and for people across the state. His district, the fastest growing on Oahu, has so many projects happening that will provide important quality of life opportunities for residents; including UH West Oahu, new housing developments that are energy efficient and use renewable energy, and the Kapolei Courthouse, to mention just a few.

As Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee, Mike is in a great position to continue pushing our state forward with more renewable energy projects. With all of the new development happening in his district, it is an ideal situation to have him championing for efficient energy infrastructure from the beginning planning stages.

Sen. Gabbard really listens to his constituents and takes into account their ideas and points of view. With him, you can be assured that your concerns, comments, and complaints make a difference. His door is always open to everyone.

Let's re-elect Senator Mike Gabbard!


Primary Election- Sept. 18th
General Election- Nov. 2nd

Gabbard's 2010 Legislation

A new addition on Mike's website is the 2010 legislation that he introduced at the Hawai'i State Capitol. Its a long list covering an assortment of different issues. There are many bills that he introduced that could further Hawai'i's goal for cleaner energy production and use. Several bills make it easier and more cost effective for people to invest in their own energy producing technologies for their homes.

You can also see that Senator Gabbard introduced some legislation that was requested by constituents in his district as well as elsewhere in the state. Mike is always letting people know that his door is open so anyone can come to him with concerns or ideas for legislation that may improve the quality of life for people in Hawai'i. I encourage everyone to approach Senator Gabbard with suggestions about new laws because he truly is eager to listen. He is friendly and helpful, providing access for all residents to the legislative process.

New Videos

Here are a few new videos of Senator Mike Gabbard at some recent community events. He's got a great sense of humor and he seems to be everywhere! Thanks for your hard work, Senator.

Environmental Working Group To Be Honored by Sen. Gabbard

In 2008 the University of Hawai‘i (UH) conducted a study of the state's environmental review system in order to submit a proposal to the Legislature for improvement. The UH Study Team spent more than a year interviewing various stakeholders in order to develop their recommendations.

Senate Bill 2818 was the result of the UH Study Team's recommendations. However, at the joint hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment and the Senate Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, there was a surprising amount of opposition from all sides.

As a result, State Senator Mike Gabbard convened a 12-member working group to seek middle ground in the spirit of compromise in order to develop further amendments. The members of the working group consisted of a wide range of professionals with expertise in development, transportation, environmental conservation, and much more. It created a unique opportunity for people who may have never sat down at the same table to openly and respectfully discuss issues that are crucially important to all of them, as well as to the future of the 'aina and the people of Hawai'i.

With Senator Gabbard's support and facilitation, the members of the working group invested an incredible amount of time and thought into this collaborative effort. They met nine times from February 16th through March 22nd, 2010, and also met as sub-groups to try to resolve particularly thorny issues and report back to the whole working group.

Sentator Gabbard will be commending the members of the Environmental Working Group with an honorary certificate presentation on the floor of the State Senate. He will be thanking them for their commitment, perseverance, and collaboration which was invaluable to the success of the group.

Gabbard's Great Green Initiatives

With the 2010 legislative session well underway, there are thousands of bills being discussed, voted on, and amended at the Capitol right now. Sen. Gabbard has introduced some exciting legislation as Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee to bring Hawai'i closer to getting a majority of our energy through alternative sources while becoming more energy efficient.

Mike introduced a bill to require developers to incorporate design elements and do some equipment installation to make all new single-family homes photovoltaic-ready by 2012. If this passes it will mean a lot more people will be able to get their energy from the abundant sunshine we are blessed with here, instead of from the grid.

There is also a bill to require all new single-family homes to be net zero energy capable by 2015. By this initiative, Sen. Gabbard intends for homes to be built in a way to make it practical for the homeowner to be able to produce as much energy as he/she consumes, thus making his/her electricity bill zero.

Another great bill to support is one that establishes a property assessed clean energy bond financing program in the state. This would allow the state to issue bonds to help homeowners and businesses finance efficiency improvements and small renewable energy systems. The loans would then be repaid over a prescribed time period through their property tax bill.

You can keep updated on the status of these bills and Mike Gabbard's other bills on his Capitol website- http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Site1/Senate/members/Sen19.asp

Twitter with Mike

I just found Senator Mike Gabbard on Twitter. For updates on what is happening at the Capitol or what Mike is up to, check him out at http://twitter.com/SENMIKEGABBARD. (@senmikegabbard).

Senator Mike Gabbard Videos

Here are a few videos of Mike out in the community.

Senator Mike Gabbard Takes a Strong Stand to Oppose HB444, the Civil Unions Bill

Today at the Hawaii State Capitol there was a big vote on a controversial issue. HB444, the bill that would allow for civil unions for homosexuals, has drawn tens of thousands of opponents from every religion, every ethnicity, and every walk of life to the State Capitol to rally in large numbers.

Mostly these rallies have been peaceful and held with the intention of showing lawmakers that a majority of residents, and voters, still oppose civil unions and same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, Senator Gabbard was physically and verbally attacked by a HB444 supporter at the rally last week.

Mike has forever been tied to this movement in Hawaii for his brave and determined efforts to lead the fight to protect traditional marriage beginning in the early 90s. Thanks in large part to his efforts and to voters who made their wishes clearly known, we passed a constitutional amendment with a 70% majority to protect marriage.

Mahalo Senator Gabbard for continuing to take a strong stance to protect the foundation of our society!

Senator Gabbard to Speak at Energy Policy Event

An important event titled “Energy Fuels our Hawai‘i Economy,” organized by the Energy Policy Forum, is happening January 8th, 10am to 12pm at the Hawai'i State Capitol Auditorium. The speakers will focus on key industry needs for the 2010 session. The closing remarks will be presented by Senator Mike Gabbard, Chair of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee.

The presenters at the briefing will discuss everything from exciting energy efficiency projects to initiatives recommended for the upcoming legislative session. Available for questions after the presentations will be experts in every kind of clean energy imaginable.

Join Sen. Gabbard at this event and learn how we can all support a cleaner powered Hawai'i.

Tapped the Movie Makes a Big Splash with Senator Gabbard

Tapped the Movie was recently screened at the University of Hawai'i Law School. Senator Mike Gabbard was invited to be a panelist along with the Sierra Club's Executive Director Robert Harris, Marvin Heskett of the Surfrider Foundation, Carol Feinga of Kokua Foundation Hawai’i, and Tamara Armstrong of the KYA Sustainability Studio after the film to discuss their thoughts on the documentary.

Tapped is a powerful movie that clearly shows the negative health and environmental impacts created by the bottled water industry. Last year, Hawai’i residents went through 895 million glass bottles, cans, and plastic bottles. Of the 895 million, there were 186 million plastic bottles. We had a 79% redemption rate and 147 million plastic bottles were recycled. However, 39 million bottles ended up in the landfill or became litter.

Senator Gabbard feels strongly that it is important for the government to lead by example, so he will be introducing a bill for the upcoming legislative session to prohibit state agencies from using public money to purchase single-serving bottled water. Other cities like San Francisco and Seattle have been successful with similar laws.

If you haven't checked out the film or the trailer, go to www.tappedthemovie.com and get ready to support Senator Gabbard's bottled water bill by submitting testimony or testifying in person.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to all Mike Gabbard friends and supporters! Please have a safe and happy holiday with your family and friends.

Mike Gabbard Supports Alternative Energy Projects

Senator Mike Gabbard is a HUGE supporter of alternative energy. Recently he testified at a public hearing held by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands about two proposed solar energy projects in Kalaeloa.

Sopogy, a Hawai’i based company, plans to construct its Kalaeloa Solar One concentrated solar power project, which will be the largest solar farm of its kind in the state. Senator Gabbard is impressed that it will provide 4MW of power for 1,150 homes, eliminate 13,475 barrels of imported oil annually, and create over 300 construction jobs.

Recurrent Energy is a San Francisco based company which plans to build a 5 MW solar PV project. Because Mike Gabbard is a Kalaeloa resident and Chair of the Senate’s Energy and Environment Committee, he is a strong supporter of this exciting renewable energy development in the Second City.

Mike Gabbard also traveled to the Big Island for the blessing and dedication of Holaniku at Keahole Point on December 10th. Holaniku, the world's first Concentrating Solar Power project using MicroCSP technologies, will provide enough clean, solar power for more than 250 homes while reducing our need for 2,000 barrels of imported oil each year.

Senator Gabbard presented a certificate commending Keahole Solar Power, LLC for developing the project and Sopogy, Inc for powering it because it will reduce carbon emissions by 6,000 tons over 30 years. Holaniku’s production can be compared to the benefit of planting 24,000 trees. Senator Gabbard warmly congratulated CEO and Founder Darren Kimura for his commitment to a bright and powerful future for our state.

Thanks, Senator Gabbard, for your support of alternative energy and for encouraging new projects like this in Hawai'i!