STAND. COM. REP. NO.1421

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.C.R. No. 87

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 87 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE IDENTIFICATION OF APPROPRIATE SITES FOR TELECOMMUNICATION TOWERS AND ANTENNAE TO PROVIDE OPTIMUM COVERAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene and head a committee to identify appropriate sites for locating telecommunication towers and antennae to provide optimum coverage, and develop a program to encourage co-location of antenna towers so as to minimize the aesthetic impact on residential areas, cultural landscapes, and open areas of the State in general.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Accounting and General Services and Land Use Commission. AT&T Wireless Services of Hawaii, Inc., and Sprint Communication Company submitted testimony in opposition. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Verizon Hawaii, and Voicestream Wireless submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that with changes in the federal laws governing the regulation of the telecommunication industry, there has been a tremendous amount of activity to develop new telecommunication and antenna sites around the State. These sites are usually site specific, as the industry has certain elevation, location, and line of site criteria for these facilities.

Your Committee further finds that input from the industry regarding the selection and identification of potential sites is an important component to the work of this measure, and that there are a number of additional state agencies that should be included in the process.

Your Committee has amended this measure to delete the representative from the Land Use Commission, to make the Office of Planning the lead agency, and to add representatives from the Departments of Accounting and General Services, Education, Hawaiian Home Lands, Transportation, and from the telecommunications industry.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 87, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 87, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Energy and Environment,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair