STAND. COM. REP. 19

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 470

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 470 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to achieve environmental justice by requiring environmental impact statements to include:

(1) The disclosure of environmental justice impacts of proposed action; and

(2) The proposed mitigation of environmental justice impacts.

Life of the Land testified in support of this measure. The

State Office of Environmental Quality Control testified in support of the intent of this measure.

Environmental justice means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, rules, and policies.

Your Committee believes that everyone in Hawaii should enjoy the same protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process in matters that affect their health and environment. Your Committee further believes that requiring the disclosure of any environmental justice impact of proposed action and proposals to mitigate its effects in environmental impact statements would ensure that the socio-economic impact of the proposed action is taken into account.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 470 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

____________________________

HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair