STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1814

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 164

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 164 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM CONDUCT A STUDY TO CREATE A ONE-STOP PERMIT SHOP FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to conduct a study on the feasibility of creating a one-stop permit shop to expedite permit processing for renewable energy projects, to recommend any changes needed to establish this streamlined permit process, and to submit its recommendations and any draft legislation to the Legislature in 2008.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Energy Policy Forum; Castle & Cooke Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i BioEnergy; UPC Hawaii Wind Partners, LLC; Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, LLC; and Puna Geothermal Venture.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs submitted written comments.

     Your Committees find that while there may be other models, a one-stop permitting shop that assists both developers and permitting agencies can be an effective way to reduce inefficiencies, redundancies, and time delays.  Your Committees have heard that the State of Washington has proceeded along these lines, and find that considering the experiences of other jurisdictions may be beneficial in determining how Hawaii might streamline its permitting for renewable energy projects.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Economic Development and Taxation that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 164 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Economic Development and Taxation,

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair