STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3279

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2620

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2620, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program to submit a report to the Legislature updating its 1996 report on preventing and responding to oil spills.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health.  The Department of the Attorney General submitted written comments.

     Your Committee finds that the recent and highly destructive molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor has underscored the need to prepare an updated spill prevention and response plan for the State.  Accordingly, this measure requires the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program to submit to the Legislature an update of its 1996 "Hawaii's Readiness to Prevent and Respond to Oil Spills" report and provides the necessary resources to the Sea Grant College Program.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a provision declaring that the potentially catastrophic effects of oil spills are a matter of statewide concern and therefore under the Legislature's purview pursuant to Article X, Section 6 of the Hawaii State Constitution;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2620, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2620, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair