STAND. COM. REP. NO. 696-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2147

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2147, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILL PERMITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reinstate the Department of Health's authority to permit federal municipal solid waste landfills.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management.

Your Committee finds that removal of the Department of Health's authority to permit federal municipal solid waste landfills not only removes regulatory oversight of the design, construction, and operation of federal municipal solid waste landfills, but also creates the loss of an approved municipal solid waste landfill permit program in accordance with federal regulations.

Your Committee further finds that under federal law and regulations, states must adopt and implement permit programs to ensure that each solid waste management facility program within each state obtain a permit and comply with applicable criteria. If Hawaii remains noncompliant, the Department of Health and the State may lose state program approval that allows for the ability to design, operate, close, and monitor landfills using alternative designs or methods to the federal standards that could be more suitable for local site conditions and be more cost-effective.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2147, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair