STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1421

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 23

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 23 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE RAINWATER DETENTION AND RETENTION POND SAFETY PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure as received is to request the Department of Health to implement a statewide rainwater detention and retention pond safety program.

     Prior to the hearing, your Committees circulated a proposed amended draft of S.C.R. No. 23, S.D. 1, which does the following:

     (1)  Expresses support for promoting and accelerating the increased use and development of renewable power generation through feed-in tariffs;

     (2)  Requests the Public Utilities Commission to adopt and implement true feed-in tariffs for clean energy systems up to twenty megawatts in size; and

     (3)  Expresses support for the continuation of net energy metering in tandem with feed-in tariffs.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by three private organizations.  Written testimony presented to your Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that feed-in tariffs will encourage the development of renewable energy by providing predictability and certainty with respect to the future rates to be paid for renewable energy.  By ensuring predictability in renewable energy reimbursement rates, the prospects of attracting renewable energy producers as well as retaining those presently in production will be significantly enhanced.

     Your Committees have amended this measure as received by replacing its title and contents with the contents of the proposed draft of S.C.R. No. 23, S.D. 1, which was circulated prior to this hearing.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 23, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 23, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair