STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2087

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.C.R. No. 54

S.D. 1

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 Water & Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 54, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO CONVENE AND PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE TO A DESALINATION PLANNING TASK FORCE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE USE OF DESALINATION FOR LARGE-SCALE WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE STATE IS FEASIBLE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene and provide administrative assistance to a Desalination Planning Task Force to determine whether the use of desalination for large-scale water consumption in the State is feasible.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply and CARES Community Advocacy Research Education Services. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that freshwater scarcity is an increasingly growing concern for the State as much of the State's freshwater supply comes from underground aquifers, which take decades to naturally replenish and are susceptible to chemical spills and leaks, droughts, and commercial overuse. Your Committee further finds that although desalination is a promising solution to freshwater scarcity, the process may be too cost-prohibitive and energy-intensive to be feasible. This measure would address the State's need for additional freshwater sources by determining the feasibility of using desalination for large-scale water consumption in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the Task Force to submit a final report no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2027, rather than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2026;

(2) Dissolving the Task Force on June 30, 2027, rather than June 30, 2026; 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 Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 54, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 54, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair