Aloha, Tourists! Hawaii’s New Climate Fee Hit
Hawaii’s new tax on hotel stays and cruise cabins will generate $100 million annually to fund environmental protections and climate disaster preparedness starting in 2026.
Hawaii made history Tuesday, becoming the first U.S. state to implement a “Green Fee,” which will charge visitors an additional tax to help protect the state’s environment and build resilience against climate disasters.
The policy will increase the state’s transient accommodations tax (TAT) by 0.75%, bringing the total rate to 10%. The fee will apply to hotel stays, short-term rentals, and, for the first time, cruise ship cabins. It is projected to generate approximately $100 million annually beginning in 2026.
“Today Hawaii ushers in the first Green Fee in the nation. Once again, Hawaii is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources, recognizing their fundamental role in sustaining the ecological, cultural and economic health of Hawaii,” Governor Josh Green said at the signing ceremony.
The bill emerged following the 2023 wildfires that decimated Lahaina and many other parts of Maui. In 2024, Governor Green established the Climate Advisory Team, led by Chris Benjamin, to develop community-informed policy recommendations for climate resilience funding.
Source: Hawaii to become first state to charge visitors a climate fee
Subscribe
Today’s Birthday
-
Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins, Mister Guitar (1924)June 20, 2026
Atkins got his first guitar by making a trade with his brother, and it was arguably the best deal he ever made. Although he struggled with shyness and suffered from severe asthma—he had to sleep sitting up and often fell asleep still holding his guitar—he became an accomplished guitarist and went on to release several hit records, develop a signature line of guitars, and help create country music's "Nashville sound." What did "Mr. Guitar," as he came to be known, trade to get that first guitar?
Atkins got his first guitar by making a trade with his brother, and it was arguably the best deal he ever made. Although he struggled with shyness and suffered from severe asthma—he had to sleep sitting up and often fell asleep still holding his guitar—he became an accomplished guitarist and went on to release several hit records, develop a signature line of guitars, and help create country music's "Nashville sound." What did "Mr. Guitar," as he came to be known, trade to get that first guitar?Today’s Holiday
-
West Virginia DayJune 20, 2026
West Virginia Day is a state holiday in West Virginia to celebrate its joining the Union in 1863 as the 35th state. The creation of the state was a result of the Civil War. The settlers of western Virginia defied the state's vote to secede from the Union, and on June 20 West Virginia formally entered the Union as an anti-slave state. The day is marked with ceremonies at the state capitol in Charleston and at the West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling. It was there that the conventions were held to declare West Virginia's independence from Virginia.
West Virginia Day is a state holiday in ARTICLE OF THE DAY
-
Black TeaJune 20, 2026
Excluding water, tea is the most widely consumed drink on the planet, drunk either hot or cold by half the world's population. The vast majority of tea sold in the West is black tea, made from fermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Generally stronger in flavor and more caffeinated than the green and oolong varieties, black tea retains its flavor for several years and has long been an article of trade, serving as a form of currency into the 19th century in what countries?
Excluding water, tea is the most widely consumed drink on the planet, drunk either hot or cold by half the world's population. The vast majority of tea sold in the West is black tea, made from fermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Generally stronger in flavor and more caffeinated than the green and oolong varieties, black tea retains its flavor for several years and has long been an article of trade, serving as a form of currency into the 19th century in what countries?
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.