STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3405

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2263

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2263 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HARBORS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to limit noise emanating from vessels using state harbors by allowing the Director of Transportation (DOT) to adopt rules regulating harbor noise.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Downtown Neighborhood Board No.13 and three private citizens.

 

     Your Committees find that as working harbors, many of Hawaii's harbors produce large amounts of noise.  While the DOT currently has the authority to adopt rules regulating the manner in which vessels may enter and moor, anchor, or dock in the commercial harbors, ports, and roadsteads, this authority may not be specific enough to allow the DOT to adopt rules that regulate excessive and harmful noises emanating from these vessels.  Your Committees find that granting the DOT this authority will help alleviate the concerns of individuals affected by the noise from Hawaii's harbors.

 

     In addition, your Committees have considered and agreed to amend this measure by:

 

     (1)  Designating section 1 of the measure as part I; and

 

     (2)  Adding as part II of the measure, an amendment to section 291-36, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to exempt from scaling any vehicles used in transshipping neighbor island bound cargo directly between piers in Honolulu Harbor, and any activities limited to crossing a public road, street, or highway within the State at locations approved by the Director of Transportation, in the case of state highways, or the county engineer, in the case of county roads and streets.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2263, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2263, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation and International Affairs,

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

 

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair