STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2551

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2805

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2805 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF PLANNING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Office of Planning to prepare a comprehensive renewable energy siting plan; and

(2) Require reporting to the Legislature.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, 350 Hawaii, and twenty-nine individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that Hawaii's clean energy initiative is admirable and worthy of our best efforts to achieve one hundred percent renewable energy by 2045. Your Committees also find that fulfilling these ambitious goals will necessitate intensive land usage across the State, increasing the potential for public controversy.

Your Committees further find that careful planning and public input will help minimize disruption of future renewable energy projects. Without such a plan, future renewable energy projects will likely face fierce opposition and the clean energy initiative goal itself could be jeopardized. This measure will create a renewable energy siting plan that identifies appropriate lands needed to achieve each benchmark of the Hawaii clean energy initiative.

Your Committees note that the intent of the Committee chairs and author of the bill is to ensure that there is robust public participation especially in light of the very real concerns that the community does have especially in some previously affected areas as noted by the testimonies.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2805, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2805, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair