STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1251

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1220

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 1220, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE GAS TARIFF,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require:

(1) Gas utility companies to file a proposed initial renewable gas tariff or tariffs with the Public Utilities Commission by August 31, 2025; and

(2) The Public Utilities Commission to establish an initial or revised renewable gas tariff or tariffs no later than nine months after the filing of a completed application for a proposed renewable gas tariff if the Public Utilities Commission finds the tariff to meet certain conditions and standards.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board No. 34; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaiʻi Gas; Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas; Kapolei Chamber of Commerce; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; and Hawaiʻi Bioeconomy Trade Organization. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Life of the Land. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Public Utilities Commission.

Your Committee finds that utilizing renewable energy resources that have the potential to contribute to renewable gas production will help the State achieve its environmental and climate resilience goals. Your Committee further finds that by establishing an accelerated timeline for the Public Utilities Commission to review and approve any proposed renewable gas tariff, this measure would expedite the availability of renewable gas service in the State, in furtherance of greater renewable energy deployment and the State's decarbonization goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Authorizing the Consumer Advocate to object to the sufficiency of any application for a proposed renewable gas tariff and requiring the Public Utilities Commission to hear and determine any objection in determining the completeness of an application and thereby the date of commencement of the nine-month period;

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

(3) 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 S.B. No. 1220, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1220, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair