Issue Position: Renewable Energy

Issue Position

Hawai`i has quickly become a national and world leader in advancing renewable energy. In 2015, our state made huge strides when we became the first state in the country to establish a law to set a goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2045. Hawai`i Island is already near 50%.

Our state is blessed with incredible renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal, which we must harness to leave fossil fuels behind. I will continue my work to ensure that Hawai`i becomes the destination of choice for green energy startups, including wind, solar, biomass, and wave energy technology. I will continue to work to provide tax and other incentives for green and high technology businesses to locate in Hawai`i.

In Congress, I'm advocating for our federal government to follow the path of Hawai`i by adopting a federal standard for renewable energy in order to make this transition at a quicker pace. We should also extend the wind production tax credit and solar investment tax credit to support the clean energy economy across our country. We should eliminate federal subsidies of the vastly profitable fossil fuel industry. Divestment from fossil fuels is the way of the future, and I'm hopeful that more of our businesses, universities, and retirement systems will choose this path.

Lower Gas Prices by Stopping Oil Speculation

Skyrocketing gas prices are seriously suppressing our economic recovery. Since fuel is a basic necessity, middle and lower income families are hurt the most. Ironically, world fuel production has increased and demand has decreased, yet prices have gone up. Why? Wall Street oil speculators have artificially driven up gas prices by as much as 40%.

By the one simple act of ending oil speculation, oil and gas prices will be drastically reduced. This will help our economy on every single level. As long as oil and gas prices are high, our economic recovery will be anemic at best. Oil speculation and high gas prices will continue as long as members of Congress are more concerned about the interests of giant corporations and Wall Street Banks than they are about the interests of our country. In the meantime, the Justice Department should immediately begin the crackdown on oil speculators - as promised by the Obama administration.

For more information on the matter see:

Democrats urge court to uphold Dodd-Frank limits on oil speculation (TheHill.com)
Obama proposes new action on oil speculation (McClatchyDC.com)
Wall Street greed fueling high gas prices (CNN)
Obama Announces Empty Crackdown on Oil Speculation (The Nation)
Nuclear Energy

To help protect the people and our environment for future generations from the grave dangers of nuclear power, Tulsi is pushing to help end subsidies for the nuclear energy industry.

Tulsi advocates for an end to what she refers to as "America's reckless nuclear policies." She is particularly critical of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's continued approval of licenses for dozens of outdated nuclear facilities in the U.S. to operate for another 20 years despite their age and careless placement. The aging Indian Point Nuclear Plant, for example, sets on a seismic fault and is just 38 miles from New York City. Tulsi opposes continued reliance on nuclear energy in the U.S. and is a vocal proponent of development of safe, environmentally-friendly forms of energy.

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