Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 46 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation to comply with county ordinances and standards relating to outside lighting at airports and harbors, and to provide cut-off or fully shielded lens fixtures to direct artificial lighting downward to prevent diffusion the light into the atmosphere, on the island of Hawaii and the island of Maui.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; State Department of Defense; three Maui County Council Members; the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy; and one individual. Comments were received from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

Hawaii is home to two of the world's premier astronomy observatories, Haleakala on Maui and Mauna Kea on Hawaii. One of the most critical needs for preserving the value of these sites is to reduce bright sources of light that illuminate the dark night sky. Recent nighttime images from the international space station revealed that some of the brightest sources of light on Maui and Hawaii are the airports and harbors on both islands. Astronomers on Mauna Kea are now detecting artificial light sources from urban areas that diminish the telescopes' ability to do research.

Your Committee finds that it is essential that the Department of Transportation take immediate steps to diminish the adverse effects on astronomy of bright night lights at airports and harbors on the island of Hawaii and the island of Maui.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 46 and recommends its adoption.