WASHINGTON — During testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda clapped back at a House colleague’s earlier suggestion that the Maui wildfires were caused by the state’s investments in renewable energy.

What You Need To Know

  • Tokuda declined to name the lawmaker but said the comments were made during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing a week prior

  • The contention that a connection exists between wildfires and other natural disasters in states that have invested in net-zero energy policies has grown from comment-section conspiracy theory to a recurring talking point in conservative media in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires

  • Tokuda acknowledged the need to investigate the cause of the fires but also pushed for assurance of continued federal aid even as the threat of a government shutdown loomed

 

Tokuda declined to name the lawmaker but said the comments were made during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing a week prior.

"He then insunated to (Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell) that the federal government should not support recovery efforts for disasters in states that pursue net-zero policies," Tokuda said.

"Unfortunately, these comments betray not only a lack of understanding of Hawaii's unique energy infrastructure, but also a willingness to exploit our pain and tragedy for political gain."

The contention that a connection exists between wildfires and other natural disasters in states that have invested in net-zero energy policies has grown from comment-section conspiracy theory to a recurring talking point in conservative media in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires.

The subcommittee is investigating the role that electric infrastructure may have played in the deadly fires.

Tokuda acknowledged the need to investigate the cause of the fires but also pushed for assurance of continued federal aid even as the threat of a government shutdown loomed.

"The question we need to be focused on right now is how do we keep the help coming to Maui?" Tokuda said. "We are two days away from a shutdown. Our people have gone through enough. The wheels of government must keep turning to provide support and resources, so they focus on recovery and rebuilding.

"What we already knew, even before this disaster, is that Lahaina is not unique among rural and remote communities across the country that have not received enough investment, and where ensuring access to services is a constant struggle," she said. "This tragedy has highlighted the disparities that exist in energy, telecommunications, transportation and water infrastructure. Our rural communities lack access to health care and mental health services, emergency services and more."

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.