STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1158

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1278

       H.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1278, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL SITE CLEANUP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to enable the State to continue to offer low-cost loans to assist eligible borrowers in the cleanup of contaminated properties.

     Specifically, this measure repeals the sunset date of the Hawaii Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (Revolving Loan Fund) that was scheduled for repeal on June 30, 2007, pursuant to Act 173, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002.  The Revolving Loan Fund assists eligible borrowers with the cleaning of contaminated sites in accordance with federal environmental and hazardous substances pollution guidelines.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     It is the intent of your Committee to permit the State to continue to offer low-cost loans to innocent landowners and prospective purchasers of contaminated properties which serves as an important component in encouraging abandoned properties to be put back into beneficial uses such as housing, commercial buildings, and open space.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1278, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair