Former HIG Executive Committee chair, Dr. Phil Barnes, passed away in his beloved Hilo, Hawaii onJanuary 19, 2026. He was born in Indianapolis on April 29, 1945, to William Barnes, Sr. and Cecilia DoyleBarnes, and graduated from Cathedral High School. His father was a Forester, so the ulu didn’t fall farfrom the tree. Phil was … Read more Tribute to former Hawai’i Island Group Executive Committee Chair, Dr. Phil Barnes

by Debbie Ward In 2011, the Feed in Tariff (FIT) program was initiated to provide farmers and ranchers an opportunity to initiate solar projects, and offered high rates to produce solar power that were competitive with fossil fuel power production. In the twelve ensuing years, the cost of solar power is now dramatically lower than … Read more Solar power project in Ocean View is opposed by local residents

Forest or Pasture? by Debbie Ward Transfer of forested conservation lands to permanent pasture will be decided at a BLNR meeting to be announced in August or September. The agenda item was removed in June, but we expect it to posted again soon. To see if it’s on the agenda, and find out how to … Read more Transfer of forested conservation lands to permanent pasture – Take Action!

Legal Action Taken to Protect Threatened and Endangered Species from Industrial Finfish AquacultureCoalition files intent to sue US Army Corps for failure to adequately assess threat of factory finfish farms to ocean ecosystems and animals Please review this Sierra Club link: https://addup.sierraclub.org/campaigns/protect-our-oceans-from-floating-fish-cafos

Every year since 1995, Moku Loa (Hawai`i Island) Group provides monetary awards andcertificates to deserving young scientists who focus on an element of Hawaii’s environment. Wehave dedicated these awards to Sierra Club members whose scientific contributions have madean historic, positive, and sometimes political impact in Hawaii. As we have every year (with theexception of the … Read more 2023 Hawai’i Island Group Awards Hawai`i District Science & Engineering Fair

Aloha! The new and re-newed members on the Hawai’i Island Group Executive Committee from the recent election are provided below. They will join the continuing ExComm members. Cory Harden was also elected, but Cory decided to step aside to focus on her committee work as Chair of the Conservation and Political Committees. Please join our … Read more ExComm Election Results

Regular Meetings Regularly scheduled meetings for 3rd MONDAYS each month on Zoom until further notice. (Meetings subject to change.) Upcoming meetings:Executive Committee meeting starts at 5pm and Conservation Committee at 6pm. For more info on Zoom notification or to confirm a date, please contact: hawaiiislandsierraclub@gmail.com

Please note the dates/times below. 

Sierra Club members recently participated in an informal discussion with commissioners of thePublic Utilities Commission regarding new solar facility development in East Hawaii. ExCommember Shannon Matson provided the club’s response. We strongly support a reduction in the use of fossil fuels to reduce our impact on climatechaos. Biomass burning also generates greenhouse gases, and the … Read more Community Based Renewable Energy for East Hawaii

The leading experts on energy grid technology work for the National Renewable Energy Laband they have been brought in to assist Hawaii in reaching its goal of 100% renewables. Theirwork and conclusions will become the blueprint for other islands in Hawaii. In dockets before the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regarding Hu Honua Biomassand Puna … Read more NREL Maui Grid Studies by Steve Holmes