Hawaii becomes first US state to charge 'Green Fee' on tourists
By Kathleen Wong for USA Today
Hawaii became the first U.S. state to establish a climate impact fee on Tuesday, placing an additional tax on tourists to fund climate change resiliency projects and environmental stewardship within the islands.
As the country's inaugural "Green Fee," Act 96 will raise the state's current transient accommodations tax (TAT) by 0.75% for a total of 11% placed upon the nightly lodging rate, effective Jan. 1, 2026, according to a press release by Governor Josh Green's office.
