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 S.B. No. 2484, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the installation of two vog-monitoring stations, one at Mountain View and one at Pahala on the island of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii has erupted continuously for twenty-three years and has emitted thousands of tons of gases containing sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. These gases react with other chemicals in the air to produce a visible haze, often referred to as vog.

Vog has been shown to cause a variety of illnesses and to increase the occurrence of adolescent allergies, asthma, and other respiratory diseases. Vog is also linked to bronchitis, cardiac problems, and other medical maladies related to the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.

In response to the health threat posed by vog, this measure appropriates funds to establish vog-monitoring stations at Mountain View and Pahala on the island of Hawaii that are equipped with sulfur dioxide monitors and meteorological equipment.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Health raised a concern about the measure's specific designation of Mountain View and Pahala as the sites for the monitoring stations as available sites, noting that lease agreements have yet to be negotiated. The named sites were suggested locations with the exact siting yet to be determined. Therefore, your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Finance consider allowing the Department of Health 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 S.B. No. 2484, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.