STAND. COM. REP. NO. 526

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1244

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 1244, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOFUELS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to modify the requirements of the renewable energy siting process to include biofuel production facilities and distribution infrastructure with the capacity to produce or distribute one hundred thousand gallons or more of biofuel annually.

 

     Your Committee finds that because of the emerging nature of biofuel technology, many existing production facilities are currently operating at small-scale development or pilot capacities.  Your Committee further finds that these facilities are the precursors to large-scale commercial biofuel producers that will reduce the State's dependence on imported fossil fuels.  Therefore, your Committee finds that these smaller projects should be eligible for the same incentives that are available to their larger counterparts.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1244, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1244, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair