STAND. COM. REP. NO. 204-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2474

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2474 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE VOLUNTARY RESPONSE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to make the Voluntary Response Program (VRP) stronger, easier to use and administer, and to increase its availability by among other things:

(1) Clarifying that prospective purchasers are eligible to receive the benefits of the VRP;

(2) Clarifying that the exemption from future liability to the State under the VRP applies to VRP actions in accord with the state Environmental Response Law (ERL), and includes non-carcinogenic substances;

(3) Allowing the Director of Health to reduce fees for public and nonprofit agencies;

(4) Permitting the Director of Health to make exceptions for naturally occurring substances; and

(5) Permitting the use of exempt positions to support other voluntary activities under the ERL.

The Department of Health and a concerned citizen testified in support of this bill. The Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter testified in opposition to this bill.

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. 2474 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

____________________________

HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair