SB982

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that significant steps were taken during the 2006 legislative session to move Hawaii towards a more sustainable energy future: renewable energy tax credits were increased and made permanent, programs for renewable hydrogen and solar water heating were established, and energy efficiency measures are now required to be considered by state agencies. A biofuel preference for state agencies was also established as well as a mandate requiring twenty per cent of highway fuels be comprised of alternate fuels by the year 2020.

The legislature also finds that Hawaii should further diversify its energy system and reduce its dependence on imported petroleum by introducing bioenergy resources into the overall energy system.

In response to this desire to diversify Hawaii’s energy system, a biofuels summit and a bioenergy workshop were held during 2006 to explore the potential for a domestic bioenergy and biofuels future. Both resulted in the realization that initiating a bioenergy industry in Hawaii must first address a diverse and very complex set of issues that involves many public and private stakeholders.

The purpose of this Act is to create a bioenergy master plan task force that is charged with developing a bioenergy master plan for Hawaii. This master plan will set the course for the coordination and implementation of policies and procedures to develop a bioenergy industry in Hawaii.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established in the department of business, economic development, and tourism, a temporary bioenergy master plan task force. The department shall be responsible for administering the work of the temporary task force, providing a facilitator, and submitting reports to the legislature. The goal of the temporary task force shall be to develop a bioenergy master plan for the State that addresses:

(1) Specific objectives, milestones, and timelines;

(2) Water resources;

(3) Land resources;

(4) Distribution infrastructure for both marine and land;

(5) Labor resources and issues;

(6) Technology to develop bioenergy feedstock and biofuels;

(7) Permitting issues;

(8) Financial incentives and barriers and other funding issues;

(9) Business partnering;

(10) Policy requirements necessary for implementation of the master plan; and

(11) Identification and analysis of the impacts of transitioning to a bioenergy economy.

(b) The members of the temporary task force shall include the following:

(1) The director of business economic development, and tourism, or the director’s designee;

(2) The chair of the board of agriculture, or the chair’s designee;

(3) The chair of the board of land and natural resources, or the chair’s designee;

(4) The director of labor and industrial relations, or the director’s designee;

(5) The director of health, or the director’s designee;

(6) The dean of the college of tropical agriculture and human resources at the University of Hawaii, or the dean’s designee;

(7) The director of the Hawaii natural energy institute, or the director’s designee;

(8) The chair of the public utilities commission, or the chair’s designee;

(9) The state consumer advocate, or the consumer advocate’s designee;

(10) The chair of the Hawaii energy policy forum, or the chair’s designee;

(11) A representative from the United States Department of Energy;

(12) A representative from the United States Department of Agriculture;

(13) A representative from the petroleum industry;

(14) A representative from each of the State’s electric utilities;

(15) A representative from the Hawai‘i Agricultural Research Center; and

(16) A representative from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau Federation.

(1) Obtain input from stakeholders, bioenergy professionals, and any other individuals as may be determined necessary by the task force; and

(2) Perform any other functions as may be deemed necessary by the task force for the fulfillment of their functions.

(d) Members of the bioenergy master plan task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(e) The bioenergy master plan task force shall be exempt from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes; provided that the task force shall make a good faith effort to make its proceedings and work products accessible and available to the general public in a manner consistent with the intent of chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(f) The bioenergy master plan task force shall be exempt from the requirements of chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(g) The bioenergy master plan task force shall submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008. The bioenergy master plan task force shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including a final bioenergy master plan, as well as any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2009.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to support the operations of the bioenergy master plan task force.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	982
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII