STAND. COM. REP. NO.  298

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1374

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1374 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NOISE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to streamline the approval process for off-hour roadwork projects by eliminating the requirement for a noise variance from the Department of Health's (DOH's) Committee on Noise Rules.

     The Department of Transportation and DOH testified in support of this bill.

     An increasing number of off-hour roadwork projects are being undertaken to minimize their impact on the motoring public.  Currently, off-hour roadwork projects are required to obtain a variance from DOH with regard to excessive noise.  This process is lengthy, time-consuming, and costly.  Streamlining the approval process for these projects is important.  Your Committee finds that although noise concerns are important to maintain a quality of life, these concerns can easily be addressed through the permitting process which will continue to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on applications for off-hour roadwork.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1374 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair