Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Higher Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 141 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health to actively monitor levels of sulfur dioxide in the Puna and Ka'u areas of the island and establish a vog index advisory program.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has found that sulfur dioxide contributes to respiratory illness, particularly in children and the elderly and aggravates existing heart and lung disease. While the Department of Health maintains vog monitoring stations in Hilo and Kona and a vog index advisory program for Kona, other areas of the island of Hawaii have not received the benefit of such services. Your Committees are concerned with the impacts that volcanic emission, including sulfur dioxide and pollutants formed from sulfur dioxide, have on public health on the island of Hawaii. In this regard, the rapid growth in population on the island of Hawaii has led to a heightened concern for the health of Hawaii residents.

The Department of Health submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.

Your Committees have amended the measure to address the foregoing concerns by:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 141, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 141, H.D. 1.