STAND. COM. REP. 72

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 604

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 604 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND USE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to include solar energy facilities in agricultural districts to eliminate the need for a special use permit.

The Office of Planning, Land Use Commission, County of Hawaii Planning Department, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui Electric Company, and Hawaii Electric Light Company testified in support of this measure. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism supported the intent of this measure. The Hawaii Agriculture Research Center provided comments.

Your Committees find that this measure will promote needed renewable energy development and is consistent with existing law, which allows wind energy facilities in agricultural districts.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 604 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environmental Protection,

 

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HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair

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EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair