STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1250

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1807

       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. 1807, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER QUALITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to enable Hawaii to receive and use moneys under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-5, and any other federal laws for safe drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

     Specifically, this measure allows the Director of Health to provide assistance for:

(1)  The construction of necessary drinking water infrastructure projects; and

(2)  Publicly owned wastewater treatment works for the construction of necessary wastewater infrastructure projects,

using moneys appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and other federal laws.  The measure also allows the Department of Health to establish not more than two exempt positions each entitled "total maximum daily load coordinator" to help the Department meet federal requirements for establishing total maximum daily loads relating to water pollution and water quality in the State.  Finally, this measure appropriates an unspecified amount from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and any other federal laws for safe drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

     Your Committee received eight written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will provide significant funding for wastewater and drinking water system improvements in the State.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure to change the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further 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. 1807, 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. 1807, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair