STAND. COM. REP. NO.  441

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 873

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 873 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide priority handling and processing, and expedite action of all state and county permits required for renewable energy projects.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, LLC, and World Business Academy.  The City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, and the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, offered testimony in opposition to the measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that, in the processing of renewable energy permits, priority handling could encourage private companies to undertake such projects.  However, if these project reviews were to be expedited, there may be certain environmental or ecological concerns that may be overlooked.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the proposed new section being added to chapter 46, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relates only to county and not state permits; and

 

     (2)  Providing that this measure would allow prioritizing and processing of renewable energy project permits but would not expedite the review of the permit applications.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 873, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 873, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair