STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1121

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 899

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 899 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTEGRATED STRATEGIES FOR STATEWIDE FOOD AND ENERGY CROP PRODUCTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii (UH) Center for Conservation Research and Training to develop integrated strategies for food and energy crop production in two phases:

     (1)  In Phase 1, research and development will be conducted to develop the best strategies consistent with comprehensive agricultural management practices to facilitate sustainable production of crops through long-term enhancement of soil quality using ecologically responsible means; and

     (2)  In Phase 2, federal and other funding will be identified and solicited to coordinate implementation and ecological monitoring of a pilot demonstration of the dual-purpose soil amendment/energy production facility developed in Phase 1.

     The Joule Junction, LLC, Kauai County Farm Bureau, Hawaiian Mahogany, Inc., and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The UH John A. Burns School of Medicine supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts to encourage further discussion;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 899, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 899, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair