STAND. COM. REP. NO. 102

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 379

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 379 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require newly installed or modified individual wastewater systems that are near the shoreline, or likely to pollute groundwater, to include denitrification capacity.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; one member of the Kauaʻi County Council; one member of the Hawaiʻi County Council; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Coral Reef Alliance; The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiʻi and Palmyra; WAI: Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations; Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Hawaiʻi Association of REALTORS.

Your Committee finds that wastewater treatment systems near shorelines have an increased potential to contaminate nearshore waters and coral reef systems and that a wastewater treatment system with denitrification capacity may protect these resources from contamination.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion. Your Committee notes the concerns raised regarding the criteria for determining whether a wastewater system needs a denitrification capacity and respectfully requests the Department of Health to review the proposed criteria in this measure and provide recommendations for more appropriate criteria as this measure advances through the legislative process.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 379, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 379, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair