STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1358

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 30
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred S.C.R. No. 30 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A STUDY OF THE
     FEASIBILITY OF UNDERGROUNDING OVERHEAD UTILITY FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The Purpose of this measure is to request the Legislative
Reference Bureau (LRB) to investigate and study the feasibility
of systematically undergrounding overhead utility facilities on
islands with populations exceeding 500,000.

     The Department of Transportation, Hawaiian Electric Company,
Kauai Electric, Life of the Land, Na Leo Pohai, GTE Hawaiian Tel,
and several individuals presented testimony in support of the
measure.  Although not present at the hearing, Hawaii's Thousand
Friends and nineteen individuals submitted written testimony in
support of the measure.

     Your Committee finds that there is increasing interest
throughout the state regarding undergrounding of overhead utility
facilities such as electircal lines, transportation camera links
and telephone and television cables.  However, there is very
little Hawaii-based factual data available to policymakers
regarding this issue.

     Your Committee further finds that in order to fully consider
the benefits and costs of systematically placing overhead lines
and cables underground, more information is needed.  Therefore, a

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1358
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comprehensive study which evaluates the economic, safety, health,
environmental and cultural concerns should be undertaken in order
to develop a sound policy on this issue.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to:

     (1)  Include the following groups to be consulted for the
          requested study: The Legislative Reference Bureau, The
          Neighborhood Commission, Oceanic Cable Company, City
          and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation
          Services, Life of the Land, a representative of small
          business, The Sierra Club of Hawaii and Kauai Electric
          Company;

     (2)  Include the following additional areas to be studied:
          resource allocation and cost apportionment; and

     (3)  Make technical and non-substantive amendments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.C.R. No. 30, as amended herein, and recommends that
it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form
attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 30, S.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Commerce and
                                   Consumer Protection,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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