STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1389

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.C.R. No. 99

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 99 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO HAVE THE PUBLIC BENEFITS FEE ADMINISTRATOR CONSIDER INVESTING IN MARKETING AND OFFERING REBATES TO ENCOURAGE PROPER MAINTENANCE OF SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure, as received by your Committee, is to request the Public Utilities Commission to have the Public Benefits Fee Administrator consider investing in marketing and offering rebates to encourage the proper maintenance of solar water heating systems and to request the Public Utilities Commission to report to the Legislature on findings and recommendations resulting from the investigation.

 

     The Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter and an individual provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Public Utilities Commission provided comments on this measure.

 

     For the purposes of a public hearing on this measure, your Committee circulated a Proposed H.C.R. 99 H.D.1 and notified the public that it would be accepting testimony on the proposal which amended the original measure by substituting language that:

 

     (1)  Requests that the Legislature convene a Task Force on Energy Security that shall identify:

 

          (A)  Barriers to a potential sale of the Tesoro refinery and how to overcome those barriers;

 

          (B)  Concerns that potential buyers may have in entering the refinery industry in Hawaii and recommending strategies on how to address those concerns;

 

          (C)  Incentives that a qualified buyer of refinery assets may seek in pursuing an investment and the feasibility of offering such incentives;

 

          (D)  Potential alternative green energy uses of the refinery assets, including conversion to green diesel fuel production; and

 

          (E)  Incentives that state agencies may provide to encourage Tesoro to actively pursue opportunities to sell the refinery to a qualified operator;

 

     (2)  Specifies the membership of and administrative provisions related to the Task Force; and

 

     (3)  Requests that the Task Force submit preliminary, interim, and final reports to the Legislature according to a specified timeline.

 

     The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 142 provided testimony in support of the proposed measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Division of Consumer Advocacy and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism provided comments on the proposed measure.

 

     Your Committee has considered the merits of both H.C.R. No. 99, as received by your Committee, and the proposed draft.  Upon careful consideration, your Committee has adopted the proposed draft.

 

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 99, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 99, H.D. 1.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair