STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1867

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 546

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 546, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FUEL TANK ADVISORY COMMITTEE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require and appropriate moneys for the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee to hold no fewer than one regular meeting in each quarter of the calendar year.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Sierra Club of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that conducting quarterly meetings of the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee will allow more timely disclosure of any spill events; facilitate better communication regarding current efforts to recover and remediate contaminated aquifers; provide a regular forum for the public to present concerns; and allow more coordination among committee members to address concerns related to the administrative order on consent regarding the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, including the development of ground-water flow models and contaminant fate and transport models, and the construction of monitor wells to assess aquifer contamination.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 546, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 546, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair