THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3361
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to renewable fuel.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that section 269-92(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires each electric utility company that sells electricity for consumption in the State to establish a renewable portfolio standard of:  forty per cent of its net electricity generation by December 31, 2030; seventy per cent of its net electricity generation by December 31, 2040; and one hundred per cent of its net electricity generation by December 31, 2045.

     The legislature further finds that for electric utility companies to meet the required renewable portfolio standards pursuant to section 269-92(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, by 2045, an indispensable component of the electric utility companies' renewable portfolio standard must include sufficient locally sourced firm, renewable energy sources to offset the intermittent nature of wind and solar power renewable energy.

     The legislature further finds that to ensure sustainable inventories of locally sourced firm, renewable energy for electric utility companies' renewable portfolio standards, long term planning that includes incentives is essential for investment and development of locally sourced firm, renewable energy production.

     The legislature further finds that updating the cover crop reimbursement pilot program to include oilseed cover crops incentivizes locally grown feedstocks that can be used to create firm renewable energy.  Oilseed cover crops, like camelina, carinata, pennycress, and sunflower, decrease soil erosion, dust, and nutrient runoff while increasing pollinator health and biodiversity and can be produced as a second or third crop on existing croplands that remain fallow otherwise.

     Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to include oilseed cover crops into the cover crop reimbursement pilot program established by Act 312, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022.

     SECTION 2.  Act 312, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, section 2, is amended by amending subsection (i) to read as follows:

     "(i)  As used in this section:

     "Compost" means a product of a composting process.

     "Compostable materials" includes pre- and post-consumer food waste, waste from animal food processing operations, green waste, crop residues, and waste from vegetable food processing operations and similar materials.

     "Composting process" means a process in which organic compostable materials are biologically decomposed under controlled conditions to produce a stable humus-like mulch or soil amendment, and includes:

     (1)  The receipt of materials;

     (2)  Primary processing;

     (3)  Decomposition activities; and

     (4)  Final processing for sale and marketing.

     "Cover crop" and "green manure" mean the plants listed in the cover crop and green manure database maintained by the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of tropical agriculture and human resources[,] and oilseed cover crops, including camelina, carinata, pennycress, and sunflower, except bermuda grass and other invasive or fast-growing grasses.

     "Farming operation" has the same meaning as in section 165‑2, Hawaii Revised Statutes."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

Report Title:

Renewable Fuel; Cover Crop Reimbursement Pilot Program; Oilseed Cover Crops

 

Description:

Includes oilseed cover crops into the Cover Crop Reimbursement Pilot Program established by Act 312, SLH 2022.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.