STAND. COM. REP. NO. 988-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2769
                                     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 S.B. No. 2769 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS
     EMISSIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to amend existing law to reflect
the State's objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in
planning for the State's energy facility system.

     The Department of Business, Economic Development, and
Tourism, the Sierra Club, and the Hawaii Renewable Energy
Alliance testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaiian
Electric Company and the University of Hawaii at Manoa,
Environmental Center commented on this bill.

     Your Committee finds that the primary goal of reduction and
avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions and specific actions like
sequestration play an important role in mitigating global
warming.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Replacing the word "minimization" with the words
          "reduction", "avoidance", and "sequestration";

     (2)  Inserting the words "avoid" and "sequester" where
          appropriate to reflect the State's goals; and

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 988-00
                                 Page 2

 
     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style
          and clarity.

     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 S.B. No. 2769, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No.
2769, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair