STAND. COM. REP. NO. 103

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 798

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. 798 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify the exemptions to the prohibition on discharging any wastewater or raw sewage into state waters; and

(2) Exempt treatment plants having a treatment capacity of less than 10,000,000 gallons per day from the prohibition on discharging any wastewater or raw sewage into state waters after December 31, 2026.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui; Hawaiʻi Wai Ola; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Coral Reef Alliance. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that in order to protect Hawaii's waters, it is vital to prohibit practices that discharge wastewater and raw sewage. Your Committee further finds that existing law prohibits the discharge of any treated or raw sewage into state waters, with certain exemptions. The intent of this measure is to clarify what discharge is subject to the law and what is exempt.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the exemption for treatment plants that produce clean energy;

(2) Changing the maximum number of gallons per day limit to an unspecified number;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 798, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 798, 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