STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2467

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2013

       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 Transportation and Energy, to which was referred S.B. No. 2013, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to create the University of Hawaii green special fund to support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability projects and services, including personnel, equipment costs, project costs, and other expenses, as well as planning, design, and implementation of sustainability projects for the benefit of the University.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

     Your Committee finds that green funds are an innovative and proven mechanism for universities and other large institutions to reduce operating cost and environmental impacts while promoting education and engaging stakeholders.  The green special fund is an internal fund that will provide a direct source of capital to all ten University of Hawaii campuses to implement energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other sustainability projects that generate cost savings.  These savings are tracked and used to replenish the fund for the next round of green investments, thus establishing a sustainable funding cycle while reducing operating costs and environmental impact.

     Your Committee further finds that the University of Hawaii needs a mechanism to track and reinvest savings realized from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects into additional cost-saving measures that reduce energy consumption to support this long term goal.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Energy that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2013, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Higher Education and the Arts and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Energy,

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair