STAND. COM. REP. NO. 689

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1104

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1104 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST MAUI ALL NATURAL ALTERNATIVE, LLC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorizes the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to assist Maui All Natural Alternative, LLC, with the development of a project to provide municipal sludge processing and renewable energy at the Wailuku-Kahului wastewater reclamation facility on Maui.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Mayor of the County of Maui; Ulupono Initiative; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; Maui All Natural Alternative, LLC; and one concerned citizen.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that this measure authorizes special purpose revenue bonds to assist in the creation of a public purpose project that will provide municipal sludge processing and renewable energy production.  The facility created from this project will generate biomethane from the anaerobic digestion of purpose grown energy crops that will be cultivated on former sugar cane land.  Your Committee believes that this project will keep former sugar cane lands in active agricultural production while promoting the growth of renewable energy.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1104 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair