STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3396

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2502

       H.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2502, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLAR ENERGY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make solar energy a permitted use in the agricultural district on Land Study Bureau "D" and "E" rated agricultural land.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Dowling Company, Inc.; Castle and Cooke Hawai‘i; The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Sopogy, Inc.; University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Social Sciences Hawaii Energy Policy Forum; Sunpower Corporation Systems; The Pacific Resource Partnership; Hawaii Renewable Energy Alliance; and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.  Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.  The Department of Agriculture submitted testimony in support of this measure with a proposed amendment.

     Your Committees find that renewable energy resources can greatly benefit Hawaii's economy, environment, energy security, and sustainability.  The increased use of Hawaii's abundant renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, ocean thermal, wave, and biomass resources is key to reducing Hawaii's green house gas emissions and contribution to global warming and will create new employment opportunities and economic diversification.  Your Committees further find that allowing solar energy facilities to be built on marginal agricultural lands may have more beneficial effects for Hawaii's economy, environment, and energy security than leaving such lands unused.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2502, H.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment,

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair