STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1736

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 1008

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1008, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to statutorily establish temporary water quality standards for bacteria in inland and marine waters to conform to levels recommended by the State and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  These standards will be repealed when the Department of Health (DOH) adopts its standards for pollutants and indicator organisms.

     The American Public Works Association, Hawaii Chapter, supported this measure.  Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, opposed this bill.  DOH, City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services, and Hawaii's Thousand Friends offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying the repeal procedures for the temporary standards in this bill upon the adoption of new rules and standards; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1008, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1008, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair