STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3016

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2160

       H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2160, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIGHT POLLUTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a Dark Skies Protection Advisory Committee to assist the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in developing a statewide dark night skies protection strategy.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Land and Natural Resources; University of Hawai‘i System; Conservation Council for Hawai‘i; and three individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that dark night skies hold important cultural, scientific, astronomical, natural, landscape, and tourism-related value.  Your Committee further finds that light pollution, caused by inappropriate use of lighting at night, including over-illumination, excessive use of artificial light, use of fixtures that directs light upward causing glare and sky glow, and use of fixtures that have excessive amounts of blue light, which is scattered by the atmosphere to cause sky glow, interferes with dark night sky activities and the nighttime activities of certain animal and insect species.  Your Committee also finds that nighttime illumination of state highways, harbors, airports, and other facilities is costly and consumes large amounts of energy, and that application of new lighting technologies could produce substantial energy and cost savings.  This measure is an important step toward better protection of Hawaii's dark night skies.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2160, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology,

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair