RELATING TO A PROGRAM TO CHARACTERIZE CARBON SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL AND UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES STATEWIDE.

Budget Energy Taxes Water

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how community engagement will be conducted.

Program to Study Carbon Storage and Underground Water

This bill establishes a program within the Hawaii State Energy Office to study carbon storage potential and underground water resources statewide using slim hole bores, requires an environmental assessment, and funds the project.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a program within the Hawaii State Energy Office to identify locations for storing carbon dioxide and finding underground water sources across the state using slim hole bores.
Requires conducting a statewide environmental assessment of the program's activities.
Funds the program with $16.5 million from the energy security special fund over two fiscal years.
Appropriates money for one full-time position to support the project.
Requires submitting a progress report to the legislature by 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

The Hawaii State Energy Office
Communities and counties near potential study sites

Terms To Know

Slim hole bores: Small diameter holes drilled to explore underground resources.
Environmental assessment: A review of the environmental impacts of a project before it starts.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how community engagement will be conducted.
It is unclear what specific actions will be taken based on the findings of the program.
The effective date of July 1, 2025, seems to be a placeholder and may change.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment establishes a program within the Hawaii State Energy Office to identify carbon sequestration potential and underground water resources using slim-hole bores, along with conducting an environmental assessment.

Establishes a new Carbon Sequestration and Underground Water Resource Characterization Program within the Hawaii State Energy Office.
Requires the program to use slim-hole boring exploration methods to identify carbon sequestration potential and underground water resources across the state.
Instructs the office to collaborate with relevant institutions for an environmental assessment of the program's actions.

The exact funding amounts are not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date is listed as July 1, 3000, which seems incorrect and may be a placeholder or error.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment establishes a program to study carbon sequestration potential and underground water resources using slim-hole bores, requires an environmental assessment, and mandates community engagement.

Establishes the Carbon Sequestration and Underground Water Resource Characterization Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
Requires a statewide environmental assessment in collaboration with the Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center at the University of Hawaii.
Mandates meetings with counties and communities to explain the program's purpose and identify appropriate locations for slim-hole boring.

The exact funding amounts are not specified, only that funds will be appropriated from the energy security special fund and general revenues.
The effective date of July 1, 3000 is likely a placeholder or error in the text.

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Establishes the Carbon Sequestration, Underground Water, and Geothermal Exploration Resource Characterization Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
Requires a statewide environmental assessment to be conducted in collaboration with the Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center at the University of Hawaii.
Mandates meetings with counties and nearby communities before and during the environmental assessment to explain program purposes and identify community needs.

The exact amount of funding appropriated for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 is not specified.
The effective date of July 1, 3000, seems incorrect or possibly a placeholder.

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 5:55PM in Conference Room 325.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 5:10PM in Conference Room 325.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 4:05PM in Conference Room 325.
2025-04-24 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Friday, 04-25-25 11:15AM in conference room 325.
2025-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 850).
2025-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Wakai Chair; Gabbard, Kanuha Co-Chairs; Fevella.
2025-04-15 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 732).
2025-04-14 H
House Conferees Appointed: Lowen, Takenouchi Co-Chairs; Kusch, Olds, Alcos.
2025-04-10 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 621).
2025-04-08 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2025-04-04 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 583) in amended form (SD 2).
2025-04-04 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, San Buenaventura). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-04-02 S
48 Hrs. Notice 04-04-25.
2025-04-02 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1532) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
2025-03-31 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-03-28 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-31-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-03-18 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2025-03-18 S
Reported from EIG/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1119) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2025-03-11 S
The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite, Fevella.
2025-03-11 S
The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Rhoads ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite.
2025-03-07 S
The committee(s) on EIG/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2025-03-04 S
Referred to EIG/AEN, WAM.
2025-02-28 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-02-28 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 50).
2025-02-27 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Garcia, Muraoka voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-27 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 890), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-20 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos, Ward.
2025-02-18 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 02-20-25 12:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-11 H
Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 350) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-04 H
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-01-28 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 02-04-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO A PROGRAM TO CHARACTERIZE CARBON SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL AND UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES STATEWIDE.
Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Carbon Sequestration; Water Resources; Geothermal Exploration; Report; Positions; Appropriations ($)
Establishes a Carbon Sequestration, Underground Water, and Geothermal Exploration Resource Characterization Program via slim hole bores and requires a related statewide environmental assessment. Requires a report to the Legislature. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1020

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1020

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO
A PROGRAM
TO CHARACTERIZE CARBON
SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL AND UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES STATEWIDE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that a better understanding of the carbon sequestration
potential and the location and temperature of underground water resources across
the State can have multiple benefits to agriculture, clean energy, and land
use.

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The legislature also finds that resource
characterization via slim-hole bores, which have a diameter of seven inches or
less for over ninety per cent of the depth of the bore, can identify water and
carbon sequestration resources across the state.

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The legislature further finds that a
statewide environmental assessment of a slim-hole exploration program should be
conducted, along with robust and continued community engagement, to identify
the most appropriate locations for this scientific activity.

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The purpose of this Act is to require the Hawaii
state energy office to implement a slim-hole resource characterization program
that identifies the location and characteristics of underground water and
carbon sequestration resources across the State under the direction of the Hawaii
groundwater and geothermal resources center at the university of Hawaii.

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SECTION 2.
�

Chapter 196, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding to part I a
new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

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"
�196-
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Carbon sequestration and underground
water resource characterization program.
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(a)
�

There is established the carbon sequestration and underground water
resource characterization program within the Hawaii state energy office to
identify the location and characteristics of underground water and carbon
sequestration resources across the State using the slim-hole boring exploration
method.
�
The Hawaii state energy office
shall implement the program, which shall include conducting a statewide
environmental assessment of the program's actions pursuant to chapter 343, in
collaboration with the Hawaii groundwater and geothermal resources center at
the university of Hawaii or similar institution.

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(b)
�

In advance of and during the statewide environmental assessment for the
carbon sequestration and underground water resource characterization program
activities, the Hawaii state energy office and collaborators shall meet with
the counties and nearby communities, including individuals and civic
organizations, in order to explain the purpose of the program and identify
community needs, priorities, concerns, and appropriate locations to conduct the
slim-hole boring for the characterization program.

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(c)
�

The Hawaii state energy office shall submit a progress report on the
carbon sequestration and underground water resource characterization program,
including its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the
legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular
session of 2028.
�
The report shall be
made available to the public in readily accessible formats, including commonly
used mapping software
.

"

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SECTION
3.
�
There is appropriated out of
the energy security special fund established in section 201-12.8, Hawaii
Revised Statutes, the sum of $16,500,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary
for fiscal year 2025-2026, and the same sum or so much thereof as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to carry out the purposes of this Act.

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The sums appropriated shall be expended by
the Hawaii state energy office.

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SECTION 4.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $135,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026,
and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2026-2027, for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position to support
the activities described by this Act.

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The sums appropriated shall be expended by
the Hawaii state energy office.

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SECTION 5.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 6.
�
This Act, upon its approval, shall
take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Hawaii State Energy Office; Carbon Sequestration; Water
Resources; Geothermal Exploration; Appropriations

Description:

Establishes a statewide underground water and carbon
sequestration resource characterization program via slim hole bores and a
related statewide environmental assessment.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.