STAND. COM. REP. NO. 319

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 179

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 179 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLID WASTE REDUCTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority is authorized to contract with private businesses to remove food and green wastes from public housing projects.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

     Your Committees find that the State should lead by example while moving toward a more environmentally sustainable future.  An effective way to increase environmental sustainability is to diminish the necessity of landfills by diverting food waste and green waste from landfills to composting and energy generation.

     Your Committees further find that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority currently recycles its green waste in a variety of ways, including using mulch and wood chips to soak up old paint that needs to be removed and creating compost gardens.  This measure ensures that if the burden for these environmental sustainability activities becomes too burdensome for the Authority, the Authority will be authorized to seek help by contracting with private businesses.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 179 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Housing and Energy and Environment,

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair