On Thursday the new electric vehicle charging station in front of the Kalana O Maui Building was blessed as a symbol of Maui County’s commitment to a greener future. This new charger joins others that are already installed at the Maui County Service

Center on Hookele Street in Kahului, the Lahaina Aquatic Center and the new South Maui Gym. Residents may enjoy free vehicle charges on a first-come, first-served basis during a two-month introductory period ending Aug. 12.

More EV charger sites, in the process of installation, include Lahaina Civic Center, Kihei Aquatic Center, Paia Community Center, Haiku Community Center, Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani, Eddie Tam Memorial Gym in Makawao, Papohaku Park in Wailuku and Hana Community Center. On Molokai, two chargers are being installed at Kualapuu Community Center and Cooke Memorial Pool. One is coming soon to the Lanai Community Center. Additional sites will be identified as a part of our energy savings performance contract with Johnson Controls. We are planning other future locations with partners Hawaiian Electric Co. and the Hawaii Department of Transportation.

Creating a countywide network of EV chargers is a small, but important step toward achieving energy independence within the next two decades. But we can’t make this transition alone. It requires an ongoing partnership among federal, state and local government agencies, working with the private and nonprofit sectors. Individuals must also do their part to achieve a clean transportation future.

The state of Hawaii is making good progress toward its goal of using 100 percent clean energy by 2045. Transitioning ground transportation to electric power, generated by renewable sources, will greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mostly carbon dioxide) from burning fossil fuels in our vehicles. The recent spike in gas prices is a rude reminder of the urgency of this transition. Hawaii is especially vulnerable to disruptions in petroleum imports due to unpredictable events far outside of our control.

Last weekend, I spoke at the nonpartisan Climate Mayors Leadership Summit in Reno, Nev. Mayors are on the front line of every crisis, so when the pandemic hit, we had to overcome the perils of inadequate preparation. We can’t make the same mistake with a worsening climate crisis.

Mayors manage emergency response to every natural disaster. I was struck by the Climate Mayors’ consensus that we are already in a crisis. Not one mayor believes climate change is a hoax, a political tactic or an imagined future threat. Every day the news reports on severe climate change impacts around the globe. Make no mistake, it is here, right now.

Crisis mitigation is expensive. Most mayors are padding tight budgets with creative solutions to help their communities prepare for an uncertain future. For example, Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston, Texas, expects his city to have 65,000 electric vehicles by 2030. Unless the city adds more than 2,000 new publicly accessible charging stations, there won’t be enough places to recharge EV batteries. To solve this problem, Houston is combining money from the Volkswagen emissions settlement with state funds to install curbside EV charging units on power poles where street parking is allowed.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas launched an initiative that eliminates public bus fares. His city’s workforce is saving money and fuel, while reducing traffic and greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. Even small cities like Santa Fe are investing. Mayor Alan Webber is piloting a program to help homeowners overcome financial barriers to solar power installation. His city is bulk-purchasing solar energy systems and passing the savings to its citizens. Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve shared that her city is on track to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by this decade’s end. Her strategies include incentivizing EV ownership and getting rid of gas-guzzlers. Reno is also electrifying its vehicle fleet and bus system, similar to what we’ve planned for Maui County.

Achieving energy independence by phasing out imported fossil fuels is essential to our future. The County of Maui must manage multiple climate priorities while keeping our people and our economy moving forward. During Thursday’s blessing ceremony, we humbly asked for divine assistance in caring for our environment. Maui Nui needs your help too.

* “Our County,” a column from Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino, discusses county issues and activities of county government. The column alternates with “Council’s 3 Minutes” every other weekend.