STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2570

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2662

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2662 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION WASTE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish clear and cost-effective guidelines to encourage and facilitate the recycling of construction and demolition debris.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Re-use Hawai‘i, Hawaii Gas, Simonpietri Enterprises, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that diversion and recycling of construction and demolition debris are best practices that can offer substantial benefits to the State. Through increased recycling and diversion of debris, the State can reduce or eliminate nearly two thousand tons of construction and demolition waste that are currently deposited in landfills each day. Landfills throughout the State that accept construction and demolition debris have less than one decade of life remaining. Moreover, as much as forty percent of this waste is wood, paper, and other biogenic material, which can be recycled into fuel to reduce imported fuel costs. However, there are few incentives for public and private sector entities to invest in recycling debris and equipment for construction and demolition debris. This measure will allow the State to become more sustainable, self-reliant, and resilient by establishing clear and cost-effective guidelines to encourage and facilitate the recycling of construction and demolition debris.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2662, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2662, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair