STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2484

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 75

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Economic Development, Environment, and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 75, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish regulations for behind-the-meter battery recycling under the Department of Health.

     Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Distributed Energy Resources Council of Hawaii.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Life of the Land.

     Your Committees find that energy storage is a key step in the State's progress toward its renewable energy goals and the elimination of the State's dependence on imported fossil fuels.  New and emerging technologies, such as behind-the-meter batteries, may provide a means to achieve the State's renewable energy goals, as commercial and residential customers begin seeking more economical solutions.  However, the complexities of these technologies, such as behind-the-meter batteries, and anticipated need to appropriately dispose of devices used in renewable energy production and storage require diligent planning to establish proper recycling procedures of such materials.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting language that:

     (1)  Requires the Department of Health to establish the Hawaii battery storage recycling task force to make recommendations for a workable recycling program for battery storage devices in Hawaii;

     (2)  Specifies the members of the task force;

     (3)  Requires the task force to submit an interim report and final report to the Legislature; and

     (4)  Terminates the task force on July 1, 2018.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Economic Development, Environment, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 75, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 75, S.D. 2, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Economic Development, Environment, and Technology,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair