STAND. COM. REP. NO.  465-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1696

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1696 entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee to meet at least twice a year.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu, Human Environmental Impacts Committee of the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the United States Department of the Navy and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

 

Your Committees find that legislation was passed in 2016 to request that the Department of Health convene the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee to study issues related to leaks from field-constructed underground fuel storage tanks that were constructed in the 1940s in response to wartime activities.  Scrutiny of these aging large capacity tanks increased after one of the Navy's tanks at its Red Hill facility leaked 27,000 gallons of jet fuel, threatening underground aquifers.  Clarifying the Advisory Committee's meeting frequency provides greater opportunity for public participation and transparency of underground fuel storage tank issues.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1696, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1696, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Health,

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair

 

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair