STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1566-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2402

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2402, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIGHT POLLUTION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to preserve the quality of the night sky and its associated cultural, scientific, astronomical, natural, and landscape-related values and provide an environmentally friendly strategy for lighting in Hawaii.  Specifically, this measure requires the establishment of a starlight reserve strategy by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Requiring that all state agencies comply with shielded lighting fixture requirements beginning on July 1, 2014;

 

     (2)  Prohibiting the sale or installation of new mercury vapor lamps after July 1, 2014;

 

     (3)  Establishing parameters for retrofit work on, or shielding replacement of, existing lighting fixtures to meet the shielding requirements;

 

     (4)  Stipulating conditions and parameters for lights where fully shielded light fixtures are not used;

 

     (5)  Establishing conditions under which installation of fully shielded replacement lighting fixtures for roads and highways shall take place and allowing for partially shielded lights that meet specified requirements to be used;

 

     (6)  Specifying numerous exceptions to the shielded lighting requirements; and

 

     (7)  Exempting counties with a population of less than 100,000 from this section.

 

     The Department of Accounting and General Services; the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the Department of Land and Natural Resources; the Department of Transportation; the University of Hawaii; and Historic Hawaii Foundation supported this measure.  The Chair of the Starlight Reserve Committee commented on this measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2402, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair