STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1181

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 155

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 155, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to lessen the amount of artificial light that contributes to the diminishing ability of the telescopes on Mauna Kea and Haleakala to conduct research.

 

     Specifically, the measure requires the Department of Transportation, to the extent that it is practical, to comply with county ordinances and standards relating to outside lighting for all new installations at airports, harbors, and highways.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, University of Hawaii System, and two Maui Council Members.

 

     Your Committees find that Hawaii is home to two of the world's premier astronomy observatories, Haleakala on Maui and Mauna Kea on Hawaii.  Mauna Kea is considered the finest observing site in the world.  One of the most critical needs for preserving the value of these sites is to reduce bright sources of light that penetrate the dark night sky.  Recent nighttime images from the international space station revealed that some of the brightest sources of light on Maui and Hawaii are the airports and harbors on both islands.  Astronomers on Mauna Kea are now detecting artificial light sources from urban areas that are diminishing the telescopes' ability to do research.

 

     Your Committees note that this measure, as it was in its original form and it is currently, applies to all airports in the State and is not limited to Maui.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting provisions of S.B. No. 1042, S.D.1, a similar measure which deletes the requirement that airport runways be similarly lighted.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 155, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 155, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair