STAND. COM. REP. NO. 653

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1482

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1482 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Public Utilities Commission to consider, when determining the reasonableness of utility system capital improvement and operations costs, the need to reduce the State's reliance on fossil fuels through energy efficiency and increased renewable energy generation.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Jeff Mikulina, Executive Director, Blue Planet Foundation.

 

     Your Committee received comments in opposition to this measure from the Western States Petroleum Association.

 

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from Jeffrey T. Ono, Executive Director, Division of Consumer Advocacy, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; and Carlito P. Caliboso, Chairman, Public Utilities Commission, Department of Budget and Finance.

 

     Your Committee finds that the dockets of the Public Utilities Commission require the Commission to weigh the State's reliance on fossil fuels against short-term impacts on rates.  This measure provides the Public Utilities Commission with much needed policy guidance in rendering their decisions.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, in order to facilitate continued discussion on the measure; and

 

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1482, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1482, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair