STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1031

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1143

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1143, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY CONTROL,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support the activities of the Office of Environmental Quality Control and Environmental Council.  Specifically, this measure, among other things:

 

     (1)  Establishes the Environmental Review Special Fund to:

 

          (A)  Support and maintain technology systems for the Office;

 

          (B)  Support outreach, training, education, and research regarding environmental stewardship; and

 

          (C)  Provide for the hiring of adequate staff for the Office;

 

     (2)  Establishes fees to enhance the activities of the Office and Council; and

 

     (3)  Appropriates funds from the Environmental Review Special Fund.

     The Office of Environmental Quality Control; Hawaii Community Development Authority; Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter; Conservation Council for Hawaii; Hawaii's Thousand Friends; The Nature Conservancy; and a few individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Complete Construction Services Corp., and an individual provided testimony in opposition to this measure.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Providing that the Office of Environmental Quality Control shall not collect more than $250,000 in filing fees each year; and

 

     (2)  Exempting the Hawaii Community Development Authority from the payment of filing fees to support the Office of Environmental Quality Control.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1143, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1143, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Health,

 

 

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair		____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair