STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1455-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.C.R. No. 76

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 76 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE NATURAL ENERGY LABORATORY OF HAWAII AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO FULLY TRANSITION ITS FACILITY TO RENEWABLE ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to achieve Hawaii's goal of energy independence by requesting the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) to:

(1)  Create a business plan to transition itself into a business, technology, and research park powered by renewable energy;

(2)  Establish a task force to review its governing documents and recommend amendments that will assist it to make the transition into a business, technology, and research park powered by renewable energy;

(3)  Develop a plan, including a timeline, to fully transition its facilities to renewable energy;

(4)  Develop a strategy to create and implement a Green Energy Zone at NELHA facilities by 2012; and

(5)  Submit a report of its findings and recommendation, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the 2009 Regular Session.

     NELHA testified in support of this concurrent resolution.

     Your Committee finds that NELHA, while producing no energy, consumes a tremendous amount of electricity to deliver seawater to about 30 companies.  Your Committee also finds that NELHA is ideally suited to transition to a business, technology, and research park powered by renewable energy.  Among other considerations, NELHA has access to deep ocean waters bathymetry and the highest solar insolation in the coastal United States.  It is also ideally located near an international airport and the University of Hawaii Center, West Hawaii campus will be in close proximity.  Further, NELHA is classified as a foreign trade and enterprise zone.   

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 76 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair