STAND. COM. REP. NO. 526

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1577
                                        S.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Education
and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1577 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of
Health (DOH) to identify, investigate, and report to the public
on environmental health hazards, in cooperation with the
Department of Education (DOE).

     This measure also requires the DOE to evaluate, identify,
and report to the DOH any suspicious increase or significant
clusters of disease or illness suspected to be related to
environmental contamination.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this
measure from DOH, DOE, Life of the Land, and eight private
citizens.

     Your Committees find that there is cogent and persuasive
evidence that is more than coincidental to indicate the presence
of an environmental hazard at Village Park in Kunia on Oahu.  The
soil and water at Kunia could be contaminated with toxins that
are having a profound effect on Kunia's children, who exhibit
grossly disproportionate incidences of physical and learning
disabilities.  Adults have also experienced unusual health
problems including excessive hair loss, development of tumors,
and face and body rashes.  Residents have also observed blue

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 526
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water stains in their bath tubs and sink basins, accelerated
corrosion of plumbing fixtures, bathtub porcelain, water heaters
and water pressure regulators.  Your Committees believe that
testing should be immediately conducted to determine if the soil
and water at Kunia are the cause of these disabilities.  Because
Kunia was once prime agricultural land, your Committees feel that
the soil and water may be contaminated with pesticide residues
that have accumulated over decades.

     Your Committees request the DOH to plan and conduct the soil
and water testing after consultation with the DOH and appropriate
community organizations and representatives of Village Park.
Your Committees further request the DOH to continue to work with
Village Park residents after the testing for any follow-up plans.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the statutory amendments;

     (2)  Clarifying the language in the purpose section to
          emphasize the problems at Kunia;

     (3)  Inserting an unspecified appropriation to the DOH to
          conduct soil and water testing at Kunia; and

     (4)  Requiring that the DOH complete it testing by December
          15, 1999, and report to the legislature for the 2000
          session.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Health and Human Services and Education and
Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are
in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1577, as
amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the
form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1577, S.D. 1, and be referred to
the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Human Services
                                   and Education and Technology,



____________________________       ______________________________
DAVID Y. IGE, Chair                SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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