STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2969

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2775

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2775 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FUEL TANK ADVISORY COMMITTEE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee to meet twice within a same calendar year at least six months apart.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Human Environmental Impacts Committee of the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the United States Department of the Navy, Commander Navy Region Hawaii and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the State established the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee in 2016 to study issues related to leaks of certain fuel storage tanks throughout the State, specifically issues surrounding leaks at the United States Department of the Navy's Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. This measure clarifies the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee's meeting frequency and provides greater opportunity for public participation and transparency of underground fuel storage tank issues.

Your Committee further notes that in the recent National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which was passed by Congress and signed into law in December 2019, there is a provision that requires the Department of the Navy to hold quarterly events that are open to the public to provide information and updates on the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Your Committee finds that the requirements of this measure are consistent with the required quarterly public events of the Department of the Navy.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2775 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair