STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1230

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 1671

      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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 1671, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSSIL FUELS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the construction or operation of a new facility that produces electrical energy solely from the combustion of any type of fossil fuel, to allow for the transition into locally available renewable feedstocks to advance the goals and objectives of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, thereby reducing Hawaii's dependence on fossil fuels and protecting the environment.

     The Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Maui Electric Company, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, and Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter, supported this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Blue Planet Foundation offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to January 1, 2090, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1671, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1671, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair