Hawaii is one of the most biodiverse places in the world – despite being the most isolated archipelago on our planet. Today, over 25,000 unique species and 1.3 million people call the Hawaiian Islands home.

As the population has grown, so have the challenges of protecting and managing the land, water, and other natural resources of the islands.

Together, we must constantly strive to conserve and protect our watersheds and other fragile habitats while also balancing the need to support our modern way of life. To help balance these critical needs while also creating jobs and growing Hawaii’s economy, we need to work together to improve our energy and food security.

I have been a strong advocate for changing the direction of our federal energy and agriculture policies so they are more forward-thinking and support Hawaii’s efforts at becoming a more sustainable economy. I have also advocated for strong federal laws to respect Hawaii’s unique wildlife and preserve safe water, clean air, open spaces and national parks.