CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 141-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2626

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to place restrictions on permits for underground storage tanks.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Beginning July 1, 2016, prohibits the Department of Health from issuing a permit for any new underground storage tank within one hundred yards of the shoreline;

 

     (2)  Beginning January 1, 2020, requires the Department of Health to work with and assist owners of permitted underground storage tanks within one hundred yards of the shoreline to relocate or phase out their use of the underground storage tanks by January 1, 2045; and

 

     (3)  Beginning January 1, 2045:

 

          (A)  Prohibits any person from operating an underground storage tank within one hundred yards of the shoreline; and

 

          (B)  Prohibits the renewal of any permit for an underground storage tank within one hundred yards of the shoreline.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that climate change is real and that rising sea levels threaten the quality of life in Hawaii.  Based on this finding, your Committee on Conference believes that the inundation of underground storage tanks poses risks to the aquifer as well as coastal water quality and marine ecosystems.  Therefore, the phasing out of underground storage tanks within one hundred yards of the shoreline is in the best interest of the public's health, safety, and welfare.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the requirement that the Department of Health work with and assist owners of permitted underground storage tanks within one hundred yards of the shoreline to relocate or phase out their use of the underground storage tanks by January 1, 2045;

 

     (2)  Specifying that this measure applies to underground fuel storage tanks; and

 

     (3)  Making technical amendments for the purpose of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

____________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Co-Chair

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Co-Chair

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Co-Chair

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair