A local environmental organization wants Hawaiʻi's gas company to come clean about its emissions.
Life of the Land has intervened in Hawaiʻi Gas' rate case before the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission.
Henry Curtis, head of Life of the Land, said he intends to use the public forum to file information requests with the gas company about their lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions over the last decade.
He added that without the data, it's not clear to the public whether the company's emissions are trending up or down.
"If (Hawaiʻi Gas is) serious about cutting emissions, that's one thing. But if they're just talking about it like they've done for many, many years without making any progress, then that's quite a different thing," Curtis said.
Hawaiʻi Gas published sustainability reports in 2021 and 2022 that include the company's annual emissions. In 2021, it emitted about 61,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases. That increased to 68,000 metric tons in 2022.
Hawaiʻi Gas told HPR that the company "represents less than 1% of the state’s emissions, but we are committed to doing our part to assist the state in achieving carbon neutrality by 2045." They did not supply further data on their emissions but directed the public to review the greenhouse gas reduction strategies included in their Integrated Resource Plan, which they filed with the PUC in 2022.
Life of the Land had also intervened in the docket that contained that contained Hawaiʻi Gas' long-range plan. Curtis said that the docket went "absolutely nowhere," which is part of the reason why Life of the Land has chosen to intervene again.
Hawaiʻi Gas said they "have received Life of the Land's Motion to Intervene, and will be filing a response in accordance with the PUC's rules."
