STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2503

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2282
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred S.B. No. 2282 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES
     COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Public
Utilities Commission to authorize the need for a regulated
utility's proposed capital project within a conservation district
for which an environmental impact statement is required before
the Department of Land and Natural Resources may accept the
utility's application for a conservation district use permit.

     Testimony on this measure was received from the Public
Utilities Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer
Affairs, AT&T, GTE, Hawaiian Electric Company, Life of the Land,
Na Leo Pohai, and Malama o Manoa.

     Your Committee finds that the intent of this measure is to
eliminate the focus on project need during the conservation
district use application (CDUA) process, as this process should
focus on whether or not the application is for an appropriate use
of conservation lands.  Your Committee has also heard concerns
expressed that this measure will create unnecessary regulatory
delays.  Your Committee acknowledges these concerns, but finds
the measure does effectively focus the CDUA process with regards
to capital projects on conservation lands.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2503
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     Your Committee has amended this measure to make it
applicable only to a public utility engaged in the production,
conveyance, transmission, delivery, or furnishing of light and
power.

     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.B. No. 2282, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B.
No. 2282, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third
Reading.

                                   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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