Report Title:
Utility Transmission Lines
Description:
Requires that 46 kilovolt or greater transmission lines in residential areas, areas viewed by visitors, or areas important to the film industry be buried underground.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1464 |
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TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 269-27.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
"(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, whenever a public utility applies to the public utilities commission for approval to place, construct, erect, or otherwise build a new forty-six kilovolt or greater high-voltage electric transmission system, either above or below the surface of the ground, the public utilities commission shall determine whether the electric transmission system shall be placed, constructed, erected, or built above or below the surface of the ground; provided that in its determination, the public utilities commission shall consider:
(1) Whether a benefit exists that outweighs the costs of placing the electric transmission system underground;
(2) Whether there is a governmental public policy requiring the electric transmission system to be placed, constructed, erected, or built underground, and the governmental agency establishing the policy [commits] has committed funds for the additional costs of undergrounding;
(3) Whether any governmental agency or other parties are willing to pay for the additional costs of undergrounding;
(4) The recommendation of the division of consumer advocacy of the department of commerce and consumer affairs, which shall be based on an evaluation of the factors set forth under this subsection; and
(5) Any other relevant factors.
Any new forty-six kilovolt or greater high-voltage electric transmission system in residentially-zoned areas, areas viewed by visitors, or areas important to the film industry shall be located underground and insulated against electro-magnetic field emissions."
SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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