STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1539

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.R. No. 110
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and
Agriculture, to which was referred H.R. No. 110 entitled:

     "HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS,
     ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY
     OF GROWING INDUSTRIAL HEMP IN HAWAII FOR BIOMASS ENERGY
     PRODUCTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to request the Department
of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to examine
the feasibility of growing industrial hemp in Hawaii for biomass
energy production.

     The Ohio Hempery, Inc., Hawaii's Thousand Friends, and
Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiary utilities, Maui
Electric Company and Hawaii Electric Light Company, testified in
support of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture and DBEDT
testified in support of the intent of this measure.  An
individual commented on this measure.

     Your Committees recognize the potential of industrial hemp
as a substantial resource for energy production and believe that
requesting a study on the feasibility for growing this crop for
biomass energy production would be useful in data-gathering and
in further legislative deliberations on this matter.

 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1539
                                 Page 2

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Energy and Environmental Protection and Agriculture
that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the
intent and purpose of H.R. No. 110 and recommend that it be
referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Energy and
                                   Environmental Protection and
                                   Agriculture,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair      HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair