STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1263

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1628

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST BIOENERGY HAWAII, LLC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to assist BioEnergy Hawaii, LLC in establishing a cogeneration facility and related energy production facilities.

     Your Committee received three written comments on the measure.  Written comments presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that cogeneration facilities will produce the following benefits for the State:

(1)  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

(2)  Reduce landfill waste steams;

(3)  Reduce transportation and disposal costs;

(4)  Create local technical and semi-technical job opportunities; and

(5)  Promote renewable energy for local communities through distributed generations.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2090, in order to facilitate continued discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair