Civil Beat Categories

Climate Change

North Shore Homeowners Face Fines Of Nearly $1 Million For Fighting Erosion Illegally David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

North Shore Homeowners Face Fines Of Nearly $1 Million For Fighting Erosion Illegally

As the shoreline shrinks, some residents do everything they can to protect their homes — even breaking the law.

Cattle Are A Major Source Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Hawaii Seaweed Could Change That Courtesy: Symbrosia

Cattle Are A Major Source Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Hawaii Seaweed Could Change That

Local businesses are getting big funding boosts to help make farmed algae part of the solution in addressing the amount of methane cattle produce.

How Data Gaps Could Put US Territories At Greater Risk For Climate Change NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration

How Data Gaps Could Put US Territories At Greater Risk For Climate Change

The Biden administration needs to develop a plan for how to address the data gaps in consultation with the territories, according to a recent report.

Luxury Housing Planned For South Maui Prompts Concerns Over Water, Traffic And Affordability Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2022

Luxury Housing Planned For South Maui Prompts Concerns Over Water, Traffic And Affordability

The $1.4 billion project envisions 975 high-end homes in and around the Wailea resort community that would cater to seasonal residents.

Native Seeds Could Soon Be Fueling New Growth On Burned Out Acreage Across Hawaii Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Native Seeds Could Soon Be Fueling New Growth On Burned Out Acreage Across Hawaii

Hawaii’s need for seeds was highlighted by the Aug. 8 fires, when experts said there was not enough native seeds to revegetate the thousands of acres of burn scars.

A Missouri River Court Decision Could Sink Hawaii’s Ala Wai Flood Control Plan Marcel Honore/Civil Beat

A Missouri River Court Decision Could Sink Hawaii’s Ala Wai Flood Control Plan

The Army Corps of Engineers might have to go back to the drawing board to keep the controversial urban Honolulu project feasible.

Hawaii Lawmakers Had Big Ideas For How To Prevent Another Lahaina. Few Became Law Courtesy: DLNR

Hawaii Lawmakers Had Big Ideas For How To Prevent Another Lahaina. Few Became Law

A House working group found a long list of things Hawaii needs to do to protect itself from fire, but many of those recommendations will fall to the new state fire marshal to implement.

Retired Law Professor Turns Into Full-Time Environmental Activist On The North Shore Stewart Yerton/Civil Beat/2024

Retired Law Professor Turns Into Full-Time Environmental Activist On The North Shore

Denise Antolini has always been an environmentalist, but now she’s tackling the area’s challenges full-time.

Hawaii Is Entering A Dangerous Fire Season. Here’s What Will Be Different Post-Lahaina  Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

Hawaii Is Entering A Dangerous Fire Season. Here’s What Will Be Different Post-Lahaina 

Fire and emergency personnel are putting new protocols in place for responding to wildfires, but are also warning that people need to be better prepared, too.

Governor Backs Effort To Stem The Tide Of Invasive Species In Hawaii Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Governor Backs Effort To Stem The Tide Of Invasive Species In Hawaii

The biosecurity measure is one of two key pieces of legislation that will strengthen the efforts of the Department of Agriculture.