Hawaii

Data center activity in Hawaii

News ClipHawaii Tribune-Herald·Hawaii County, HI

Push to ban data centers continues$

The Windward Planning Commission has deferred action until October on a Hawaii County bill aimed at banning artificial intelligence data centers. Introduced by Councilwoman Heather Kimball, Bill 170 seeks to amend zoning codes to distinguish between large-scale data centers and smaller data processing facilities, with significant public opposition due to concerns over water, electricity, and noise. Planning Director Jeff Darrow supports the distinction but advises against a complete ban, suggesting a size limitation instead.

zoning opposition environmental government moratorium electricity water

9/6/2026

News ClipMaui News·Maui County, HI

RISE Maui speaker examines costs of AI -

Sasha Luccioni, co-founder of the Sustainable AI Group, spoke at the RISE Maui Summit about the environmental impact of artificial intelligence and data centers. She highlighted data centers' significant carbon emissions and water usage, citing that a single data center can emit as much CO2 as Iceland annually and AI queries consume substantial water. Luccioni stressed the need for corporate accountability and more sustainable AI development.

environmental water

Anthropic Google

9/4/2026

News Clip5:25Forbes Breaking News·HI

Mazie Hirono Asks FERC Officials: How Will You Ensure Data Center Costs Aren't Passed To Consumers?

Senator Mazie Hirono questioned Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) officials about preventing the energy costs of AI data centers from unfairly burdening consumers. She raised concerns about cost shifting related to network upgrades. Hirono also noted that some jurisdictions are enacting legislation to prevent data center construction due to these issues.

electricity government opposition moratorium

7/30/2026

News ClipBig Island Video News·Hawaiʻi County, HI

Hawaiʻi County Council Forwards Data Center Bill To Planning Commissions

The Hawaiʻi County Council Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use, and Economic Development has forwarded Bill 170 to planning commissions. This bill aims to explicitly define data centers and clarify that they are not permitted uses within the county, amidst public opposition regarding their resource consumption. Another hearing will be held after the planning commissions discuss the matter.

zoning government opposition electricity water

7/8/2026

News ClipWest Hawaii Today·Hawaii County, HI

Legislation targets data centers in Hawaii County$

A Hawaii County Council Committee unanimously approved forwarding a bill to ban industrial-scale data centers on the island, aiming to amend the county zoning code to define and restrict such facilities. Community members testified in strong support of the bill, citing concerns over the high water and electricity usage of data centers and their potential negative impacts on the island's limited resources and quality of life.

government zoning opposition environmental

7/8/2026

News ClipBig Island Video News·Hilo, Hawaiʻi County, HI

Data Centers on Hawaiʻi County Council Agenda This Week

The Hawaiʻi County Council is set to discuss Bill 170, which aims to explicitly define "data center" and clarify that these facilities are not permitted in the county's industrial-commercial mixed-use zoning districts. This legislative action seeks to prevent data center development amidst growing community concerns over their significant water and energy consumption and local impact.

zoning government electricity water

7/6/2026

News ClipKauai Now·HI

University of Hawaiʻi researchers awarded $12M grant to advance AI, data science in medicine

University of Hawaiʻi researchers received a $12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish the Pacific Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in Medicine (PAC-AID). This center will accelerate biomedical discoveries using AI and data science, and involves renovating the UH Cancer Center Data Center to create a new Medical AI Core with advanced computing resources. The funding aims to improve health outcomes in Hawaiʻi and foster the next generation of AI investigators.

announcement government

6/22/2026

News ClipHonolulu Star-Advertiser·Honolulu County, HI

New UH AI data center aims to improve healthcare throughout Pacific region

The University of Hawaii's Cancer Center is converting a room into Hawaii's first AI data center, funded by over $12 million from the National Institutes of Health. This new facility will enhance healthcare research by creating a more sophisticated database of various ethnicities in the Pacific region. The project aims to accelerate AI-driven research in medicine, though its size and energy demands are explicitly noted as being much smaller than typical mainland data centers.

announcement environmental electricity water

6/21/2026

News ClipHonolulu Civil Beat·Oahu County, HI

Hawaii Considers Future of AI Data Center Development

This opinion piece warns Hawaii against allowing a new wave of 'extractive' AI data centers that could mimic the harmful legacy of historical plantations, advocating instead for local ownership and sustainable development. The authors argue that island communities must have a significant say in how these facilities are built and governed to protect local resources. They highlight concerns about water and electricity consumption and environmental impact.

environmental electricity water opposition government

5/10/2026