STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO.1581

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.C.R. No. 55

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 55, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM BUSINESS ACTION CENTER TO COORDINATE AND FACILITATE THE PROJECT REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESS OF A PLASMA-ARC TORCH FACILITY IN THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) Business Action Center to coordinate and facilitate the project review and permitting process of a plasma-arc torch facility in the State.

Testimony supporting this measure was received from Asia Pacific Environmental Technology. Comments on this measure were received from DBEDT.

Your Committees find that plasma technology offers an alternative means of solid waste disposal and recycling. Its innovative process utilizes extreme heat to extract useful energy from solid waste, which results in an inert byproduct. With landfills in the State reaching capacity, your Committees believe that implementation of this proven technology will contribute toward improving solid waste management in the State and will augment the services already provided by HPower.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing incorrect references to "plasma-arc torch" with "plasma";

(2) Clarifying that more than one plasma facility in the State is contemplated;

(3) Further requesting the Department of Health, and the Mayor and Council of each of the four counties to assist in the accommodation of plasma facilities in the State and changing the title to reflect this change; and

(4) Further requesting the DBEDT Business Action Center to meet with prospective applicants to facilitate understanding of the regulatory requirements and processes, educating the counties and the public on the relative benefits of plasma technology compared to current landfill disposal practices, and assisting prospective applicants with all permitting applications.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 55, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 55, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development and Health,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair		____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair