Last week, Hawaiian lawmakers voted to slow the growth of hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure in the state. In the past I’ve talked many times about how progressive Hawaii has been in regard to hydrogen vehicles.
According to Stars and Stripes, “State lawmakers last week killed language in a bill that would have taken a portion of the state barrel tax on oil and earmarked it for the ‘development of hydrogen production, storage and dispensing infrastructure.’ House and Senate conferees rejected all proposals to amend the barrel tax bill, keeping the status quo with the bulk of the tax going to the state general fund.
“Removal of the language authorizing the development of hydrogen infrastructure was a blow to Hawaii’s clean-energy efforts, according to the Hawaii Auto Dealers Association, which supported the proposal.
“’Over the years, Hawaii’s new-car dealers have ardently worked to fulfill the goals of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative,’ said Dave Rolf, HADA executive director … ‘Fueling infrastructure needs to be in place in advance of the arrival of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Every hunter knows to hit a duck, you have to shoot ahead of the duck,’ Rolf said.”
Well, the Hawaiian lawmakers have ducked the hydrogen issue for now. Let’s hope this flipping of the bird to the bill is only a minor and temporary setback for hydrogen vehicles in the state.
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