STAND. COM. REP. NO. 800

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 5

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 5 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION CONVENING A LEGISLATIVE NOISE POLLUTION TASK FORCE TO REVIEW BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER STATES IN REDUCING URBAN NOISE POLLUTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to convene a legislative task force to review best practices from other states in reducing noise pollution.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Loretta Fuddy, Department of Health; Thomas Smyth, Downtown Neighborhood Board No. 13, City and County of Honolulu; Louis Erteschik; Valere McFarland; and Linda Wong.

     Your Committee finds that research has shown that exposure to constant or high levels of noise can cause numerous adverse health effects and that certain areas of the State have noise levels that may be high enough to cause these adverse effects.  This measure will assist in defining solutions to these issues.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 5, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 5, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair