STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3476

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 149
                                        S.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred
S.C.R. No. 149, S.D. 1, entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PUBLIC
     UTILITIES COMMISSION TO OPEN A GENERIC DOCKET ON THE ISSUES
     OF OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND PLACEMENT OF UTILITY LINES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Public
Utilities Commission to open a generic docket to consider,
analyze, and evaluate the broad issues of overheading versus
undergrounding electric transmission lines.

     Your Committee finds that the general context of a generic
docket would allow the Public Utilities Commission to consider
the issues concerning the placement of electric transmission
lines in a general context, instead of a piecemeal approach that
considers one specific proposal at a time.  Changes in technology
and public sentiment require a comprehensive evaluation of all
the issues to develop clearly understood criteria, guidelines,
and procedures used in all decisions regarding placement of
transmission lines underground or overhead.  This measure will
assist in making those decisions predictable and understood by
all concerned parties.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3476
                                   Page 2


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 149,
S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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