STAND. COM. REP. NO.  877-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2646

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2646, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect public health and the quality of Hawaii's drinking water by establishing a Fuel Tank Advisory Committee within the Department of Health to study, monitor, and address issues stemming from underground fuel storage tank leaks.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, a City and County of Honolulu City Councilmember, City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Surfrider Foundation Hawaii Chapter, Surfrider Foundation Oahu Chapter, Surfrider Foundation Kauai Chapter, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, and several individuals provided testimony in support of the measure.  The Department of Health, Navy Region Hawaii, World Centric, and Hawaii Green Growth provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2646, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2646, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair