STAND. COM. REP. NO.  562

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1406

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Transportation and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1406 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require:

 

     (1)  Asphalt removed from roads and driveways be recycled under certain conditions;

 

     (2)  The Department of Transportation to adopt rules regarding best practices for paving projects, asphalt processing, stockpiling, and asphalt disposal; and

 

     (3)  The Department of Health to designate asphalt storage sites or develop a centralized asphalt processing and storage facility.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Climate Protectors Hawaii and five individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Health, and one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that a majority of the road and highway surfaces in the State are made of asphalt pavement.  Recycling of asphalt pavement has proven to be a cost-effective method of pavement rehabilitation.  Your Committees further find that implementing this measure will help Hawaii save costs by reducing the need to import raw and virgin materials, as well as avoid greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful effects to the environment.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     Should your Committee on Finance decide to hear this measure, your Committee requests that it consider the concerns raised during the hearing about the inequities of the ability to recycle asphalt in East Hawaii due to the rain.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1406, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1406, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair

 

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair