STAND. COM. REP. NO. 236

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 32

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 32 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INFRASTRUCTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require public water or sewer utilities regulated by the Public Utilities Commission to consider the disruption to transportation as a criterion in planning future maintenance.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Division of Consumer Advocacy, Public Utilities Commission, and Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Your Committees find that it is important to prioritize the maintenance of utility infrastructure, but such maintenance can cause significant traffic congestion. The Public Utilities Commission oversees approximately thirty-nine small private and wastewater utilities, but does not have statutory oversight over municipal utilities. Traffic disruption is a criterion of consequence of pipeline failure in addition to the likelihood of failure based on historical main breaks and pipeline condition assessments.

Your Committees have heard the concerns of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Division of Consumer Advocacy that installation, maintenance, and retirement of underground infrastructure, whether regulated by the Public Utilities Commission or a municipal entity, expands beyond public water and sewer utilities and that before conducting any roadwork, utilities must make appropriate arrangements with the relevant county or state agencies that oversee the affected roads. Thus, the Division suggests that rather than limiting the bill to only water and sewer utilities regulated under the Public Utilities Commission, the bill should target agencies that have roadwork permit oversight to improve coordination and minimize disruptions in traffic and transportation. Your Committees recommend that this testimony be considered by the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection as this measure moves forward.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Transportation that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 32 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Transportation,

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair