HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2007

 

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Rep. Hermina M. Morita, Chair

Rep. Mele Carroll, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Pono Chong

Rep. Roland D. Sagum, III

Rep. Ken Ito

Rep. Scott K. Saiki

Rep. Michael Y. Magaoay

Rep. Cynthia Thielen

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Thursday February 1, 2007

TIME:

8:00 a.m.

PLACE:

Conference Room 312

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 653

RELATING TO SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.

Requires the preparation of a supplemental environmental impact statement where appropriate and directs the council to develop rules for supplemental statements.

 

EEP, WLH, JUD

HB 841

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.

Establishes a       year limit for the validity of a final environmental impact statement.

 

EEP, WLH, JUD

HB 702

RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Requires an environmental assessment for harbor improvements using public moneys; clarifies that traffic congestion is to be considered in an environmental impact statement process; requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement for the Hawaii superferry project; requires work to cease on Hawaii superferry until an environmental impact statement is accepted; makes appropriation to department of transportation to prepare an environmental impact statement.

 

EEP, TRN, FIN

HB 981

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.

Requires preparation of an environmental assessment for any new development of residentially zoned land whose acreage exceeds five acres, including subdivision requests of land with a slope of 20% or more.

 

EEP, WLH

HB 1176

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Requires an advance disposal fee for new motor vehicles.

 

EEP, EDB/TRN, FIN

HB 704

RELATING TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS.

Provides a 10-year moratorium on testing, propagating, cultivating, growing, and raising genetically engineered coffee and taro.

 

EEP, AGR, CPC

HB 1577

RELATING TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED COFFEE.

Temporarily prohibits the growing of genetically modified coffee. Allows research on genetically modified coffee in environmentally secure facilities. 

 

EEP, AGR, CPC

HB 1048

RELATING TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS.

Prohibits the growing of crops that produce pharmaceuticals. Prohibits laboratory work relating to biopharmaceutical crops.

 

EEP, AGR, CPC

HB 678

RELATING TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

Requires the department of health to adopt reporting and verification of statewide greenhouse gas emissions and to monitor and enforce compliance.  Requires adoption of a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions levels in 1990 to be achieved by 2020.  Requires the adoption of rules to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reductions.  Authorizes the adoption of market-based compliance mechanisms.

 

EEP, EDB, FIN

HB 226

RELATING TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

Adopts July 1997 DBEDT and DOH joint Inventory of Hawaii Greenhouse Gas Emissions Estimates for 1990.  Requires DOH, with the assistance of DBEDT, to develop a comprehensive clean air plan with respect to greenhouse gas emissions exceeding US goals in the Kyoto protocol.

 

EEP, FIN

HB 639

RELATING TO SOLID WASTE.

Requires distributors to report container numbers sold and make fee payments on that basis.  Permits calculation of redemption value by container count in certain instances.  Allows refusal of refund for previously processed and baled containers.

 

EEP, CPC, FIN

HB 642

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.

Requires electric utilities to obtain a certificate of public good from the public utilities commission for the construction of any electric transmission or generation facility, prior to beginning site preparation or exercising the right of eminent domain.

 

EEP, WLH, CPC

                                                                                                                                                                                     

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

 

PERSONS WISHING TO TESTIFY ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT 35 COPIES OF THEIR TESTIMONY AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING TO:  (1)  THE  COMMITTEE'S VICE CHAIR IN ROOM 405, STATE CAPITOL, OR (2)  THE HOUSE SGT.-AT-ARMS TESTIMONY DROP OFF BOX IN THE TURNAROUND AREA OF THE CAPITOL BASEMENT PARKING LOT.  TESTIMONY MAY ALSO BE FAXED IF LESS THAN 5 PAGES IN LENGTH TO THE HOUSE SGT.-AT-ARMS OFFICE AT:  586-6501 (OAHU) OR 1-800-535-3859 (NEIGHBOR ISLANDS).  WHEN FAXING, PLEASE INDICATE TO WHOM THE TESTIMONY IS BEING SUBMITTED, THE DATE AND TIME OF THE HEARING, AND THE REQUIRED NO. OF COPIES THAT IS NEEDED FOR SUBMITTAL.

 

IT IS ALSO REQUESTED THAT THE COPIES BE ON ONE SIDE OF AN 8‑1/2" X 11" SHEET WITH THREE HOLES PUNCHED ON THE LEFT SIDE.  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE VICE CHAIR COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586‑6790.

 

IF YOU REQUIRE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE OR AUXILIARY AIDS AND/OR SERVICES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS OF THE STATE HOUSE (I.E., SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY, OR PARKING DESIGNATED FOR THE DISABLED), PLEASE CONTACT THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING SO ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.  PROMPT REQUESTS SUBMITTED HELP TO ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS AND APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS.

 

SELECTED HEARINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE.  CHECK THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE BROADCAST SCHEDULE ON THE "CAPITOL TV" WEB SITE AT WWW.CAPITOLTV.ORG OR CALL 550-8074 FOR A LISTING.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. Hermina Morita

Chair