STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1713

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 50

      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. 50, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

     (1)  Authorize the Board of Land and Natural Resources, after at least one public hearing, to lease public lands to renewable energy producers who provide certain indicators of the project's viability; and

     (2)  Grant the renewable energy producer a right of first refusal upon the renewal of its lease.

     The Department of Agriculture, Hu Honua Bioenergy, LLC, SunFuels Hawaii, LLC, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  A concerned individual opposed this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, First Wind Energy, LLC, the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, and several concerned individuals offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     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. 50, 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. 50, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair