STAND. COM. REP. NO. 393

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 987

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Transportation and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 987 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to convene a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Task Force to develop a state action plan to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from international air transportation from the State.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Americans for Democratic Action, Imua Alliance, 350Hawaii, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of Planning and Hawaii State Energy Office.

 

     Your Committees find that the burning of aviation fuel during air travel is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and remains an impediment to meeting the State's Zero Emissions Clean Economy target by 2045.  Accordingly, this measure will convene a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Task Force to develop a state action plan to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from international air transportation from the State.

 


     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Placing the task force under the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute for administrative purposes, rather than within the Hawaii State Energy Office in the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism;

 

     (2)  Removing the mandate to include federal agencies as task force members and replacing it with an invitation for federal agencies to join;

 

     (3)  Adding language to allow the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute to invite other members to join the task force as they see fit; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 987, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 987, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

 

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair

 

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair