STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2765

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2380

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 Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2380 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a new waste management solution pilot project to be conducted by the Department of Health.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Environmental Services of the City and County of Honolulu, Ulupono Initiative, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that pollution from cesspools is harming water quality in the State. Currently, there are roughly eighty-eight thousand cesspools that are potentially contaminating streams, oceans, ground water, drinking water, and marine areas around the State. Your Committee further finds that new sewage management technologies, including self‑contained, self-powered, and self-cleaning toilets, may be viable solutions to Hawaii's waste problem.

Your Committee also finds that Act 132, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018 (Act 132), established the cesspool conversion working group and tasked it with developing a long‑range, comprehensive plan for cesspool conversion statewide, including methods by which the Department of Health can ensure that cesspools are converted into more environmentally‑responsible waste treatment systems. This measure compliments Act 132 by establishing a pilot project to review available waste management technologies across different topographies in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the Department of Health with the University of Hawaii's Water Resources Research Center as the lead agency; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2380, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2380, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair