Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 96 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health to develop an action plan to assess and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in consultation with other government agencies, members of the regulated community, and environmental groups.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Renewable Energy Alliance, Sierra Club Hawai`i Chapter, Life of the Land, and one individual. Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., testified in opposition.

Your Committee finds that this measure will answer a number of key questions regarding carbon dioxide emissions in Hawaii, including the emission levels, financial impacts of charging a carbon fee, and how best to use any moneys collected.

Your Committee has amended this measure to add two components to the action plan:

(3) Eliminating reference to the effect of carbon dioxide on

air quality in the State.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 96, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 96, S.D. 1.