STAND. COM. REP. NO.  958-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2862

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2862, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage the timely development of renewable alternative resources for the state by establishing a coordinated and streamlined permitting process for the development of a wind energy project that uses undersea cables to transmit electricity. 

     The Department of Health and UPC Hawaii Wind supported this bill.  Hawaii Renewable Energy Alliance, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Electric Light Company, Maui Electric Company, and Castle & Cooke Hawaii submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation amount for the establishment of a permanent renewable energy facilitator position within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to an unspecified amount; and

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

     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. 2862, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2862, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair