STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3591

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2160

       H.D. 1

       S.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 Ways and Means, 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 address light pollution in Hawaii by establishing a temporary Dark Night Skies Protection Advisory Committee to assist the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in the development of a statewide dark night skies protection strategy.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the Department of Land and Natural Resources; University of Hawaii System; Conservation Council for Hawaii; and four individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that light pollution, caused by the excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive use of artificial light, is a statewide problem that affects Hawaii's dark night skies, and thus interferes with the nocturnal activities of wildlife and important astronomical research that can only be conducted at night.  Light from Oahu is easily visible from Haleakala and interferes with astronomical observations in the western part of the sky.  Your Committee further finds that the nighttime illumination of state highways, harbors, airports, and other facilities has a high energy cost.  Accordingly, your Committee believes that the State needs a coordinated strategy to reduce light pollution statewide.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Chairperson of the Dark Night Skies Protection Advisory Committee to invite a representative of the United States military, to be appointed by the Commander of the United States Pacific Command, to serve on the advisory committee; and

     (2)  Directing the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature before the convening of the 2018 and 2020 Regular Sessions, in addition to the 2017, 2019, and 2021 Regular Sessions.

     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. 2160, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2160, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair