CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 45-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2018

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2182

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2182, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the Carbon Farming Task Force established by Act 33, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, and permanently establish the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force, which will examine opportunities to utilize carbon sequestration to protect public health and help align the State's clean energy and carbon sequestration goals with the State's climate goals.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force to:

 

          (A)  Additionally identify appropriate criteria to measure increases in agricultural and aquacultural product yield and quality attributable to greenhouse gas sequestration and improvements in soil health; and

 

          (B)  Include in its preliminary report to the Legislature types of agricultural and aquacultural practices, public land and marine use policies, and on-farm managing practices and types of incentives, grants, research, and assistance that result in tangible economic benefits to agricultural and aquacultural operations;

 

     (2)  Statutorily establishing a statewide target to sequester more atmospheric carbon and greenhouse gases than emitted within the State as quickly as practicable but no later than 2045, and requiring the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to endeavor to achieve the target;

 

     (3)  Requiring that after January 1, 2020, agency plans, decisions, and strategies shall give consideration on their impact on the State's ability to achieve the statewide zero emissions target, weighed appropriately against their primary purpose;

 

     (4)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $150,000 for fiscal year 2018-2019 to fund the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force and its related efforts;

 

     (5)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2018; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2182, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2182, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 


Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD

Chair

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE

Co-Chair

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN

Co-Chair

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH

Co-Chair