STAND. COM. REP. NO. 206

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1671

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1671 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit new or expanded fossil fuel power plants in order to align the State's energy policy with the State's preferred clean energy future.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state department and one private organization.  Testimony in support of the intent, with comments, was submitted by a state department and a private organization.  Comments were submitted by a private organization.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     This measure prohibits both the construction of new electricity generating facilities and the modification of existing facilities with a rated capacity of more than two megawatts if the construction or modification utilizes fossil fuel services to generate the electricity.  The prohibition would commence on July 1, 2009.

     Your Committee finds that it is critical that decisions be made to wean the State off of its dependence on foreign oil.  Hawaii's economic, environmental, and energy security demand that the State reduce the amount of fossil fuel imported and consumed in 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1671 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair