A new license plate could help restore Pearl Harbor to its natural state

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A new license plate will be coming to the Aloha state after getting the green light from Hawaii’s governor.

It will help showcase Hawaii’s beauty and restore a vital harbor with deep historical ties.

In the days of the Hawaiian Kingdom, historians say Pu’uloa, also known as Pearl Harbor, was once a thriving source of food and fresh water for the island of Oahu over the decades, and now a new license plate is hoping to bring that back.

The group called Hui O Hoohonua is on a mission to restore the land to its natural state.

“This is going to take the entire community for this to happen,” said Anthony Chance with the nonprofit.

The group hopes to expand its restoration efforts with a Pearl Harbor-themed license plate that will allow portions of revenue to go to the group.

“I was so excited because this is long-term,” said Chance.

He is hoping it will raise 20,000 to 30,000 a year if they can get hundreds to switch to the specialty plates.

The goal is to have all 10 streams leading into Pearl Harbor and its dozens of fish ponds restored to their natural state.

“Right now, not to scare anyone, but we are actually in a famine right now, and we just don’t know. Because if the ships and the planes stop, we don’t have enough food. We don’t produce enough to feed our population. Here we used to. That’s what we’re trying to get back to,” said Chance.

The Pu’uloa theme plates would join other plates, raising funds for things like the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

The specialty plates will cost an additional $35, $20 of which will go to the organization.

Chance says he believes the plates could be available as early as next year.

Art Students are designing it from Waipahu Intermediate and Waipahu HS.