Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2003 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect residents of the Puna district from the health hazards of "vog," a visible haze produced by a reaction of the gases emitted from Kilauea volcano and other chemicals in the air, by appropriating $160,000 to the Department of Health to install two additional vog monitoring stations, at Mountain View and Pahala, on the island of Hawaii.

The Maku'u Farmers Association and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill. The Department of Health (DOH) supported the intent of the measure.

DOH raised a concern about the measure specifically designating Mountain View and Pahala as the sites for the monitoring stations, as available sites and lease agreements have to be negotiated. The named sites were suggested locations with the exact siting yet to be determined. Therefore, your Committee respectfully requests that the subsequent committee consider an amendment to allow the DOH flexibility in the siting of the two additional vog monitoring stations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2003 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.