STAND. COM. REP. NO.  84-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2574

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2574 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to protect the State's environment and residents from the unintended impacts of large-scale pesticide use by:

 

     (1)  Establishing public reporting requirements for large-scale, outdoor commercial agricultural operations across the State;

 

     (2)  Establishing disclosure and public notification requirements for outdoor application of pesticides in various environmentally sensitive areas; and

 

     (3)  Establishing civil fines and a private right of action to enforce reporting, notice, and disclosure requirements.

 

     A Kauai County Council Member; the Hawaii Center for Food Safety; Americans for Democratic Action; Hawaii Indigenous Natural Farmers; Pesticide Action Network North America; Hawaii Island School Garden Network; GMO Free Maui; and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; Kauai Coffee Company, LLC; CropLife America; Western Plant Health Association; Maui County Farm Bureau; MauiGrown Coffee, Inc.; Dow Agroscience; and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Agriculture and several concerned individuals provided comments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2574 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair