STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1004

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 68

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 68 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INSTALL RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITIES ON THE PREMISES OF AS MANY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS IS FEASIBLE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the Department of Education to:

     (1)  Facilitate the installation of renewable energy facilities on the Department's properties when feasible;

     (2)  Enter into power purchase agreements with renewable energy producers who use the renewable energy facilities; and

     (3)  Provide a report to the Legislature that includes a list of the Department's properties at which such renewable energy facility placement would be most feasible.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Byron Baker, Janice Palma-Glennie, Elle Personius, and Ethan Personius.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

     Your Committees find that the State has demonstrated its commitment to renewable energy through the adoption of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative and has a variety of abundant renewable energy resources such as solar and wind.  Pursuing and promoting the generation and use of renewable energy in public school facilities will result in substantial cost savings for the State in the long term, as well as set a positive example for other people and entities across the State, particularly students.

     This measure aims to encourage the Department of Education to vigorously pursue the generation and use of renewable energy.  Your Committees recognize that the Department has already made substantial strides in this direction through the awarding of a photovoltaic power purchase agreement at four school sites on Oahu and through a larger photovoltaic power purchase agreement project for all the schools on Kauai which is scheduled for bidding.  Your Committees applaud the Department's commitment to reducing the State's dependence on fossil fuel and look forward to the report requested by this measure to fully inform the Legislature on the realistic possibilities for more projects similar to the projects already being pursued.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending its title; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 68, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 68, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Education,

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair