STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1618

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 155

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 155, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the ability of the telescopes on Mauna Kea and Haleakala to conduct research by reducing artificial light from new installations at airports, harbors, and highways.

     The Department of Transportation, the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii, and a Maui county councilmember submitted comments in support of the measure.

     Your Committee finds that the telescope research conducted at the astronomy observatories on Mauna Kea and on Haleakala is world renowned.  The sites are at risk because of increasing artificial light sources, particularly from airports, harbors, and highways.

     The measure requires the Department of Transportation, in compliance with newer, stricter statutes, ordinances, and rules, to reduce artificial light at airports, harbors, and highways, to the extent practicable.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by:

     (1)  Adding a new part II, which requires the Department of Transportation to include biofuel storage and transmission infrastructure in all harbor improvement master plans to reduce Hawaii's dependence on oil imports;

     (2)  Replacing the phrase "regarding the same area" with "regarding outdoor lighting" in sections 262-   and 266‑   to clarify that the county ordinances relate to outdoor lighting and not the geographic locations cited;

     (3)  Clarifying that only new installations of highway lighting are subject to section 264-  , rather than all undefined new installations; and

     (4)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, style, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 155, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 155, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair