STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1691-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.C.R. No. 73

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 73 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF THE JANUARY 2014 FUEL TANK LEAK AT THE RED HILL UNDERGROUND FUEL STORAGE FACILITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect the public from risks related to the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility and Oahu's water supply by requesting the Director of Health to convene a task force to study the effects of the January 2014 fuel tank leak at the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility.  

The Department of Health; Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu; and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Including additional information regarding past fuel releases at the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility and the impact on Oahu's groundwater aquifer and the environment;

     (2)  Providing that the task force include one representative appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one senator appointed by the President of the Senate;

     (3)  Requesting the task force to consider the implications of shutting down the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility;

     (4)  Urging the United States Navy to work with the Department of Health and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to remediate the contamination beneath the Red Hill Facility to protect and prevent contamination of the groundwater aquifer; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 73, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 73, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________ K. MARK TAKAI, Chair

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair