March 20, 2013

House of Representatives asks for study on effects of toxic pesticide

On March 14th, 19 Legislators in the State House of Representatives, including some in leadership, cosponsored HR100 and HCR129 calling for the State Director of Health to head a task force on the effects of atrazine on human health. Atrazine is a toxic, weed-killing pesticide used in Hawai'i for decades in treating sugarcane, pineapple, and most recently seed corn.

The Atrazine Task Force is charged with reporting its findings, including any proposed legislation, to the State Legislature no later than October 31, 2013. Legislation resulting from the task force's recommendations will be considered during the 2014 Legislative Session. View full article


February 27, 2013

Hemp plant is exciting agricultural opportunity for Hawaii By Rep. Cynthia Thielen

February 19, 2013

It is ironic that our country's Declaration of Independence was drafted on hemp paper, because any mention of hemp today is likely to be met with raised eyebrows.

However, the public perception of hemp, which is not the same plant as marijuana, might be on the verge of a dramatic national shift.

Last week, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "I am convinced that allowing (hemp's) production will be a positive development for Kentucky's farm families and economy. The utilization of hemp to produce everything from clothing to paper is real and if there is a capacity to center a new domestic industry in Kentucky that will create jobs in these difficult economic times, that sounds like a good thing to me."

McConnell is cosponsoring the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2013. View full article


February 14, 2013

HAWAII HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES URGES CONGRESS TO BACK INDUSTRIAL HEMP

February 13, 2013

A resolution urging Congress and the President to clarify that "the congressional intent of the federal Controlled Substances Act is not to prohibit the production of industrial hemp" was passed today by the state House of Representatives.

HR6 was introduced by Speaker Joseph Souki, Representative Cynthia Thielen, Representative Angus McKelvey, Representative Tom Brower, Representative Faye Hanohano, Representative Chris Lee, Representative Scott Nishimoto, Representative Roy Takumi, and Representative Jessica Wooley.

HR6 now goes to Congress and President Obama.

Full Article: View full article


January 25, 2013

Rep. Thielen Calls for Greater Scrutiny of HECO’s Finances

January 15, 2013

Representative Cynthia Thielen, (R-Kailua), announced she will introduce legislation this Wednesday, January 16, 2013, to establish a permanent Task Force to determine and periodically revise a "reasonable rate of return" for electric utilities. The bill also establishes a bipartisan joint legislative oversight committee to determine if the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is enforcing the "reasonable rate of return" established by the Task Force.

Representative Thielen said, "The electricity costs for ratepayers in Hawaii have increased at a constant and precipitous rate, and these increases have created serious financial hardships for Hawaii residents. One of the most important functions of the PUC is to approve or deny rate increases proposed by HECO, but in reality, the PUC rarely denies rate increases."
View full article


December 19, 2012

Wave power, not wind power, is the way to go for Hawaii

Harsh reality shows that modern wind power has been contentious throughout the world.

Wind turbines are eyesores that often disturb the natural landscape, endanger wildlife and regularly need backup fossil fuel. Great Britain recently announced that it would halt most land-based wind projects.

The situation is exacerbated in Hawaii, where wind energy costs range from 20 to 28 cents per kilowatt hour - more than three times than in California. Fires at First Wind's Kahuku Wind Farm have led to turbines that do not work - adding to the mass of unused turbines that litter America's lands.

Full Article: View full article


April 26, 2012

Legislature Endangering Our Communities, Environment

Two of my grandchildren are growing up on Kaua‘i, including one just newly born. They are very fortunate to call such a beautiful place their home and to be raised in a community that values its quieter lifestyle and unique cultural and environmental resources, and has a long history of standing up for itself.

These qualities which make Kaua‘i so special are in grave danger from several bills pushing their way through the State Legislature this Session.

These measures, particularly SB755 and SB2927, seek blanket exemptions for state and county projects from Hawaii’s long-standing environmental review process and, equally disturbing, its County planning laws. View full article


April 24, 2012

Bills Poised To Take Away Environmental Review

Windward residents deserve much credit for working hard to protect what makes our part of the island so special. The planning and zoning guidelines crafted by our communities to protect environmental and cultural resources have been crucial to maintaining our side’s unique character. Unfortunately, a number of bills to remove these protections are moving rapidly through the Legislature. The most recent one to undo these protections is SB755, which now contains a laundry list of exemptions and automatic approvals that essentially remove state projects from environmental review and permitting requirements. SB2927 compounds matters by exempting development projects near rail and bus hubs from county zoning and planning. View full article


April 10, 2012

LEGISLATURE SEEKS TO UNDERCUT HAWAII'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS

Honolulu - The Honolulu Star-Advertiser has drawn much attention in its editorial pages to key issues affecting our State, such as open government, education, reapportionment, homelessness, clean energy, and the cost and reliability of electricity, but a significant area remains outside the spotlight: the Legislature's attack on Hawaii's landmark environmental protections. A startling number of bills which would have long-lasting impacts on the integrity and preservation of our environmental and cultural resources are being rapidly ushered through the legislative process. View full article


March 9, 2012

"DIRTY 8" ERODE THREE DECADES OF LANDMARK ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Honolulu -This Legislative Session, the State House of Representatives and Governor Abercrombie have introduced legislation that will erode decades of environmental protections. The House passed the Dirty 8 in First Crossover: HB530, HB2145, HB2154, HB2324, HB2325, HB2611, HB2613, and HB2690. These bills seek to reverse thirty years of steadfast protections, creating a lack of oversight which could devastate our environmental and cultural resources and potentially lead to severe economic damage through uninformed planning decisions. View full article


March 1, 2012

House Bill No. 2417 Will Hurt Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Efforts and Industries

February 22, 2012 BY REP. CYNTHIA THIELEN

House Bill No. 2417 (HB 2417) will limit the availability of the Hawaii Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit from one credit per system to one credit per property for both residential and commercial projects. Currently, the tax credit applies to each renewable energy system that a property owner installs. Without this tax credit for each system, many families and businesses will not be able to afford the high up-front costs of photovoltaic.

HB 2417 will impact Hawaii's overall photovoltaic industry. On February 9, 2012 in the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, the Solar Energy Industries Association submitted testimony stating that the credits pertaining to each system has created hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs for Hawaii's workers, from electricians and panel installers, to sales and marketing professionals, to engineers and accountants. Consequently, if HB 2417 is passed, jobs are likely to be lost and overall photovoltaic industry would be negatively impacted. View full article


February 14, 2012

Bill Demolishes Environmental Law

Honolulu - Hawai'i State Representative Cynthia Thielen (R, 50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) was outraged by House Leadership's recent decision to force through a bill which would exempt certain State and County projects from the environmental review process. HB1893 was re-referred to the House Finance Committee (FIN), bypassing its original referral to the House Committees on Economic Revitalization & Business (ERB) and Energy & Environmental Protection (EEP). "This leaves the public with only one opportunity to testify to House Members and completely removes decision making by those Representatives selected to oversee environmental issues," Thielen explained. "HB1893 is a horrible bill which would undercut three decades of environmental law in Hawai'i; it 'torpedos' our environmental protections."View full article


February 14, 2012

Preparing Hawaii For Climate Induced Sea Level Rise

Honolulu - Hawai'i State Representative Cynthia Thielen (R, 50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) announced that Hawaii's rising seas pose a substantial threat to Hawaii's infrastructure and overall economy. Because of climate change, the Center for Island Climate Adaptation and Policy (ICAP) stated that Hawaii is expected to experience sea level rise of one foot by 2050. Long term sea level rise has contributed to, and will continue to contribute to, ongoing coastal erosion, coastal flooding, and drainage problems.

"The science tells us that sea level rise is coming to our islands regardless of mitigation efforts. In order to successfully adapt to rising sea levels in the coming decades, we must implement land use policies that take into consideration ICAP's predictions before it is too late," declared Thielen. View full article


February 14, 2012

U.S. Department of Energy Notes Hawaii's Significant Wave Energy Resource

Honolulu - Hawai'i State Representative Cynthia Thielen (R, 50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) announced that Hawaii's wave energy resources are substantially greater than previously estimated. The U.S. Department of Energy's newly released "Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource" shows Hawaii's wave energy was significantly underestimated. The updated assessment shows Hawaii's wave energy resource is 130TWh/yr according to DOE.

"The DOE's report demonstrates Hawaii's wave energy is a viable resource that can supply a significant amount of renewable energy on each island. I see wave energy as a positive investment that could move Hawaii's energy supply away from petroleum, create new jobs, and decrease our State's greenhouse gas emissions," declared Thielen. View full article


February 14, 2012

Women's Caucus' 2012 Package, "Service and Sacrifice", Dedicated To Hawaii's Women Veterans

For more than 20 years, the Women's Legislative Caucus (WLC) has worked to improve the lives of Hawaii's women and their families. This bipartisan group of legislators from both the House and Senate comes together each year to create a legislative package addressing issues affecting women in Hawai'i.

The WLC usually dedicates its package of bills each year to a woman who exemplifies its mission. However, instead of choosing an individual this year, the WLC dedicated its 2012 legislative package entitled "Service and Sacrifice" to our women veterans. Our women have a proud history of service on and off the battlefield in our armed forces, and the Caucus greatly appreciates and honors our women in uniform for their bravery and service to protect and uphold our freedoms. View full article


February 14, 2012

Farm To School Program Introduced by Rep. Cynthia Thielen

Honolulu - A bill establishing a Farm to School Program within the Department of Agriculture was introduced today by Hawai'i State Representative Cynthia Thielen (R, 50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay). This program would require public schools to purchase Hawai'i -grown produce when available at approximate the same cost as foods imported from out of state.
"Not only does this program support our farming industry, but it offers healthy food choices to our young people. The Farm to School Program is a win-win situation for us all," said Representative Thielen, adding, that the partnership between Hawaii food growers and schools offers numerous nutritional, environmental and economic benefits to our state. View full article


September 20, 2011

Hawaii in prime position to attract companies in wave energy production

Southampton, England >> At the opening of the recent five-day European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, I presented a proclamation from Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz encouraging wave energy developers "to strongly consider Hawaii as an ideal market to present your products to the world."

I also informed the nearly 500 attendees from 29 nations that Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay was leading our state with its plans to construct a wave hub, where local and international wave energy converters (WECs) could be "plugged in" and tested in Hawaii's waters. This readies Hawaii to benefit from a global surge in wave energy production. View full article


September 19, 2011

Women's Caucus Strives For Compassion In Law By Cynthia Thielen

For more than 20 years, the Women's Legislative Caucus has worked diligently to improve the lives of Hawaii's women and their families. Including state lawmakers from both the House and Senate, the Women's Caucus annually drafts and submits its package of bills with the goal of remedying key problems facing women and their families today.

Our caucus dedicates its package of bills each year to a woman who exemplifies its mission. This year, we chose Dr. Tricia Wright, the founder and pioneer of The Path Clinic. View full article


August 25, 2011

Plant Theft Robs Us All

As published in Landscape Hawaii, August/September 2011, 25th Anniversary Issue (p.32-33)

Working from sunup to sundown, counting every penny, just barely economically making it in this business environment...the life of a nursery owner or grower is not easy. The trade off is ending the day with new growth, happy customers, and a tangible product created by hard work and perseverance. Landscapers delight in creating picture perfect gardens, carefully considering every botanical selection while balancing budget limitations and homeowner expectations. Certain disappointments can be planned for...insects, drought, market ebb and flow. Now landscapers, homeowners, nursery owners and farmers have another blight to consider plant theft. View Full Article


June 28, 2011

Student Forums Split On ATVs, Oppose Later Classes by Cynthia Thielen

Wednesday - June 22, 2011 - Midweek
It is always inspiring to meet students who understand that it only takes one caring and vocal citizen to change laws or create new ways of doing things.
When my staff and I took our annual Legislative Roadshow to five Wind-ward schools this spring, we met numerous students who were not only inspirational but offered creative and thoughtful solutions to issues considered during this past legislative session. View full article


May 12, 2011

Puppy Mill Measure Should Help Reduce Abuses

With all the economic challenges and budget woes state lawmakers are now trying to resolve, our Legislature still has taken time to address Hawaii's unfortunate reputation as one of the "five worse states to be an animal." We all applauded the rescue of more than 154 dogs and puppies from the Waimanalo puppy mill. I did receive news from the city Department of Planning and Permitting that the puppy mill property has accrued more than $15,000 in fines due to permitting and zoning violations. So far, DPP is not taking action on these violations or collecting the fines which are due.

I am pleased to report that legislation for the regulation of puppy mills passed this session. although changes need to be made in order to make it effective in regulating or preventing puppy mills, while not discouraging responsible hobby breeding.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, which would be the enforcing and licensing agency for large commercial dog breeders, has asked for a Sunrise Review of the bill (SCR111), which examines how licensing should be implemented and, at the beginning of this session, I introduced a resolution that initiated that process.

Some toughening of animal cruelty laws has been done this session; however, much could be accomplished by adding strict standards of care in future regulations. This should include stringent requirements for fresh water, food, clean and sanitary living conditions, adequate room for exercise, and socialization. Regardless of how many animals are living on a property, these standards of care should be strongly enforced and monitored.

One of the biggest problems of over-population in pets is the lack of quality and affordable neuter/spay programs. Although a city spay/neuter program does exist, funds are often depleted early in the year. A typical spay or neuter costs $300 or much more - a prohibitive price for many. California has introduced a bill adding a voluntary check-off item on the state tax return for contributions to low-cost spay neuter programs. Perhaps Hawaii can consider such a program in the future. Mobile spay/neuter services for pets of the indigent and homeless also have been successfully implemented in other states.

They say that you can judge a society by how it provides for its weakest members. Caring for our four-legged furry friends may seem like a low priority when faced with today's concerns and challenges. But for those of us who come home to a loving, joyous family pet after a hard day at work, we know differently. Mahalo also to the many "foster families" who are now unselfishly caring for the Waimanalo puppy mill dogs. Give all those very special puppies an extra hug for me tonight!


March 24, 2011

HECO wants to socialize cable cost, privatize any profit

If the majority of the lawmakers and Hawaiian Electric Co. get their way under Senate Bill 367 - the bill designed to finance an interisland cable - the Oahu ratepayer will be solely responsible for the cost of the project, predicted to cost somewhere between $500 million to $1 billion.

An editorial in Sunday's Star-Advertiser indicated otherwise ("State utility grid desirable but help small-scale users, too," Star-Advertiser, Our View, March 20).

SB 367 contains several astonishing entitlements. It allows the utility to recover the full cost of the interisland cable and on-island infrastructure, no matter what the outcome. Once approved by the Public Utilities Commission, these costs would be applied to the ratepayer in the form of an automatic rate adjustment, seen as an added surcharge on everyone's bill until the project is paid in full. The cost includes every conceivable expense, from predevelopment through commercial operations, and even includes a guaranteed rate of return for the utility and its lucky shareholders.

This boon applies to the utility no matter what degree of success the project has. Even if the cable is unsuccessful or plagued by problems, the utility will still recoup all its expenses, from planning to operations with a profit to boot.

Proponents of the bill argue that SB 367 is just establishing a regulatory structure. True enough, and this regulatory structure will change the way the utility does business, forever.

Proponents also argue that the risk is very small that the project will not succeed. But if the risk is so small, why are HECO and state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism so determined to pass all the costs to all of us?

Proponents argue that the only way to make the cable happen is to take all of the risk out of the project. But is this truly the only way? And if the ratepayer must foot the bill, why aren't they entitled to a part of the profits as well?

Almost everyone agrees that Hawaii must wean itself from imported oil before it is too late, but the question is how.

Perhaps the only possible way for Hawaii to move forward is for the ratepayer to foot the entire bill for a massive wind project, and that it is too much to ask the utility to take any of the risk.

But if this is true, it seems only prudent, only fair, that before the ratepayer agrees to pay for the cable, we would know the cost.

The likely response? The utility can't tell us the cost until we agree to pay for it. View full article


February 9, 2011

Representative Thielen Recognizes 'Aikahi Elementary School

On Saturday, Feb. 5, Representative Cynthia Thielen (50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) presented a certificate on behalf of the State House of Representatives to 'Aikahi Elementary School in celebration of the school's 50th Anniversary. View full article


February 8, 2011

Representative Thielen Introduces Legislation to Protect Kailua Beaches

Honolulu- Representative Cynthia Thielen (50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) introduced a bill to protect Kailua's beachfront. HB682 is a pilot project which establishes an interim construction moratorium along Kailua beach to prevent further erosion of the beach and to protect this valuable resource.View full article


February 3, 2011

REP. THIELEN INTERVIEWED REGARDING PUPPY MILLS

Representative Cynthia Thielen (50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) was recently interviewed by Tim Sakahara, HawaiiNewsNow, regarding her legislation requiring annual breeding permits for large scale commercial dog breeders. These bills specifically address the need to regulate "puppy farms" or "puppy mills".View full article


February 3, 2011

Representative Thielen Introduces Plant Theft Bill

Property owners would have retribution against plant thefts with new lawView full article


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