Hawaii plans to build new electric vehicle chargers — as well as invest in public transit, bike lanes and sidewalks — as part of a settlement in a landmark youth climate lawsuit that requires the state to slash its greenhouse gas emissions.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation agreed to publish — and carry out — an emissions reduction plan last year, when the state opted to settle the youth lawsuit. The first version of the plan also lays out pollution-cutting strategies for aviation and marine traffic.
The plan doesn’t include specifics on the cost of the new chargers and other infrastructure. The state transportation department said those details would be included in future plans.
Despite the lack of funding specifics, the plaintiffs said the changes would help make transportation more affordable in Hawaii, which is 2,400 miles from the mainland and relies on expensive imported fuel for most of its transportation needs.
