STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2446

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2179

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2179 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR WASTEWATER PROJECTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation for the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Mayor of Hawaii, Hawai‘i County Council, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management, and one Hawai‘i County councilmember.  Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Health.

     Section 342D-83, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund, was enacted to provide financial assistance to:

     (1)  Counties and state agencies to plan, design, and construct publicly owned wastewater treatment works in conformity with federal laws; and

     (2)  Eligible parties for projects or activities to implement management programs, and conservation and management plans under federal law.

     Your Committees find that the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund is largely exhausted and needs to be replenished to meet the many needs that exist, particularly the need to replace large-capacity cesspools in accordance with requirements imposed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2179, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2179, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Energy and Environment,

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair