STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3211

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2379

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2379 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CESSPOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program to develop and conduct a comprehensive statewide outreach program on sewage contamination and cesspool conversion and appropriate funds for this purpose.

Additionally, this measure requires and appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to conduct research on wastewater system technologies for cesspool upgrades and the reduction of cesspool impacts upon drinking water and groundwater.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii County Council, Ulupono Initiative, and three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii and the Mayor's Office of the County of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the State has over eighty-eight thousand cesspools statewide that discharge more than fifty-three million gallons of untreated sewage into the State's waters every day, creating major health and environmental risks to the State's drinking water and groundwater. This measure will increase public awareness for cesspool conversions and move the State toward environmentally-friendly solutions for waste management.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

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. 2379, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2379, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair