STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3467

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 65

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 65 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH A GLOBAL WARMING TASK FORCE TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF GLOBAL WARMING ON THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health to establish a Global Warming Task Force to assess the effects of global warming in the State.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Health.  Comments were submitted by Windward Ahupua‘a Alliance.

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii, as an island state, is particularly vulnerable to rising ocean levels and other consequences of global warming; and therefore, the State must take action to address the near-term and long-term effects of global warming.  However, before action may be taken, efforts must be made to fully predict and evaluate the effects that rising ocean levels and other consequences of climate change will have upon Hawaii.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 65 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair