STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1285

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 266

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 266, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GLOBAL WARMING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish a global warming task force to assess the impacts of global warming and climate change trends in the State.

     Specifically, this bill establishes the global warming task force within the Department of Health for administrative purposes, which shall provide administrative, professional, technical, and clerical support.  The task force is to:

     (1)  Assess the current and potential impacts of global warming and climate change trends and the impacts of rising ocean levels on the State's residents, natural resources, and economy, including impacts on the visitor industry, air and sea transport, buildings and public utilities infrastructure, human health, and native plants, animals, and ecosystems;

     (2)  Estimate costs to the State of the adverse effects associated with climate change and rising sea levels; and

     (3)  Recommend measures to address or mitigate the effects of climate change, including preventing shoreline erosion, preserving the visitor industry, relocating transportation infrastructure, restricting construction in affected areas, improving public utilities infrastructure, preparing for health emergencies, and maintaining the health of native species and ecosystems.

In addition, this bill designates twenty-nine individuals to serve on the task force.  Furthermore, this bill requires the task force to:

     (1)  Select a chairperson, collect information, research reports, and conduct hearings;

     (2)  Submit a preliminary report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

     (3)  Submit a final report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011.

The task force would cease to exist on June 30, 2011.

     Finally, this bill appropriates $100,000 from the tourism special fund in each of fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 for the purposes of the bill.  The effective date of the bill is July 1, 2070.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter.  Blue Planet Foundation submitted testimony in support of the bill's intent.  The Department of Health submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.  The Windward Ahupuaa Alliance offered comments.

     Your Committee finds that global warming poses a serious threat to the economic well-being, public health, natural resources, and environment of Hawaii.  Accordingly, the State needs to understand and be prepared to respond to the effects of global warming and climate change and to investigate and implement strategies to focus on adaptation.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Adding a new section 1 to the bill to clarify the bill's purpose;

     (2)  Changing the name of the task force from the global warming task force to the climate change task force;

     (3)  Placing the task force within the Office of Planning for administrative purposes, rather than in the Department of Health;

     (4)  Reducing membership on the task force from twenty-nine to eleven as follows:

         (A)  The Director of the Office of Planning or the director's designee, who shall act as chairperson;

         (B)  The Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism or the director's designee;

         (C)  The deputy director of the Department of Health's Environmental Health Administration or the deputy director's designee;

         (D)  Three members appointed by the President of the Senate, of whom one shall be from an environmental organization;

         (E)  Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of whom one shall be from an environmental organization; and

         (F)  Two members from the University of Hawaii at Manoa to be appointed by the President of the University of Hawaii as follows:

              (i)  One member from the climate change commission to be nominated by members of the commission; and

              (ii)  One member from the department of urban and regional planning to be nominated the dean of the College of Social Sciences; and

     (5)  Changing the expending agency for the appropriation to the Office of Planning.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 266, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 266, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair