STAND. COM. REP. NO.714-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2774

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

 

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 S.B. No. 2774, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM FINANCING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect and improve the quality of state waters by:

(1) Broadening the class of recipients eligible for assistance in financing nonpoint source (NPS) pollution and other eligible water pollution control projects, to include private entities or landowners; and

(2) Establishing the Wastewater Systems Special Fund (Special Fund).

The Department of Health supported this bill.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than fifty percent of the pollution in the State's water environment is caused by NPS. Since the vast majority of NPS pollution occurs on private property, allowing private persons to qualify for available assistance to prevent and control pollution will substantially increase the quality of water in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Excluding from the fees to be deposited into the Special Fund, any fees for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, water quality certification, or loan programs; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 2774, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2774, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

 

____________________________

HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair