STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3562

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 57

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 Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 57 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ENDORSE THE NEW PLASTICS ECONOMY GLOBAL COMMITMENT AND THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO SET TARGETS TO FULFILL THE NEW PLASTICS ECONOMY GLOBAL COMMITMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Governor to endorse the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to set targets to fulfill the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Climate Protectors Hawai‘i, 350Hawaii.org, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Restore the Commons, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Your Committee finds that the wasteful use of plastics threatens the health of Hawaii's residents and environment. Many plastics are designed for single-use and sixty percent of all plastic products produced since 1950 have eventually ended up in landfills. Hawaii is particularly vulnerable to the effects of plastic pollution, making it imperative for the State to take action to reduce the production of plastic waste. Accordingly, this measure requests the Governor to endorse the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to set targets to fulfill the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.

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 Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 57, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 57, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair