STAND. COM. REP. NO. 205-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2549
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to
which was referred H.B. No. 2549 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL WASTEWATER
     SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to delegate the responsibility
of regulating individual wastewater systems from the Department
of Health (DOH) to the counties.

     Testimony in support of this bill was submitted by the DOH.
The County of Kauai submitted testimony in opposition to this
bill.
  
     Your Committee finds that individual wastewater systems are
regulated by the DOH which reviews, approves, and enforces rules
on on-site wastewater systems such as cesspool, septic tank, and
household aerobic treatment systems.  The counties are
responsible for the review of building permits.  Therefore, there
are two separate reviews for preconstruction and pre-use
approvals for homes.  There are also two separate inspection and
enforcement systems for residential buildings.

     Your Committee further finds that the public interest would
be better served if the counties had total control of the
building permit review and enforcement process.  The counties
already regulate the majority of the requirements relating to
home building.  The delegation of individual wastewater systems

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 205-00
                                 Page 2

 
regulation to the counties would significantly decrease the
processing time for building permits by eliminating the need for
the public to submit their building permit applications to the
DOH. 

     The County of Kauai has expressed concern that the bill does
not provide for adequate long-term funding to the counties for
assuming this additional function.  Your Committee respectfully
requests that the Committee on Finance clarify whether one-time
or continuing funding should be authorized.   

     Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical,
nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection that is attached
to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 2549, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No.
2549, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair