Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1902 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve Hawaii's waterways by:

The Office of Environmental Quality Control, the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Pacific International Center for High Technology Research, Hawaii Water Environment Association, and concerned citizens testified in support of this bill. The Board of Land and Natural Resources testified in opposition to this measure.

Hawaii's waterways and streams need periodic dredging to remove contaminated sediments. Since suitable sites to dispose of contaminated dredged sediments are very limited, much of this contaminated soil is placed in containers that are shipped to the mainland for processing and disposal at a significant cost. Your Committee feels that this measure provides for crucial research and the initiative for the development of a bioremediation facility which can be used to treat contaminated soils from dredging activities, thus helping to preserve our environment.

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 H.B. No. 1902 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.