TITLE:
A Review of Native Hawaiian Benefits Received through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
AUTHORS:
Gwendolyn A. Richardson
KEYWORDS:
Inflation Reduction Act, Climate Crisis, Environmental Law, Hawaii
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.14 No.3,
March
22,
2023
ABSTRACT: On August 16th, 2022, Public Law 117-169, The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, was signed into law by the President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden Jr. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides the Native Hawaiian community an opportunity to engage in activities of climate resilience and adaptation through making funds available to support such actions. This article provides a preliminary policy analysis of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to identify the opportunities presented by this legislation that can provide ecological and cultural benefit to the Native Hawaiian community. Findings suggest policy language included in this Act is broad which emphasizes the need for the Senior Program Director of the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations, who is tasked with fund distribution, to rely upon the knowledge of the Native Hawaiian community and ecological experts to direct funds in a manner that best benefits the Native Hawaiian community.