STAND. COM. REP. NO. 257

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1720

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1720 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST JACOBY DEVELOPMENT, INC., A PROCESSING ENTERPRISE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to reduce industrial waste in our landfills.

     Specifically, this measure authorizes the Department of Budget and Finance to issue up to $100,000,000 in special purpose revenue bonds for the purpose of assisting Jacoby Development, Inc., for acquisition of lands and the planning, designing, constructing, and equipping of a plasma municipal solid waste processing system on the island of Oahu.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Geoplasma LLC, a subsidiary of Jacoby Development, Inc., Nanakuli Hawaiian Homestead Community Association, Wai‘anae Hawaiian Homestead Community Association, Waianae Kai Homestead Association, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the island of Oahu is facing critical problems regarding municipal waste disposal from industrial sources. 

     Your Committee further finds that, given our limited space, the State must embrace cutting edge technology that can not only address our waste problems in the future, but also improve our existing environmental issues.  Authorizing special purpose revenue bonds for this purpose will allow us to do so while not incurring any expense to the State.

     Your Committee further finds that the Jacoby Development, Inc. Plasma Municipal Solid Waste Processing System has the strong support of the Native Hawaiian Homestead Associations.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1720 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair