STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3171

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 169
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred S.C.R. No. 169 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PUBLIC
     UTILITIES COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON METHODS TO
     FINANCE THE UNDERGROUNDING OF OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) to conduct a study on methods to
finance the undergrounding of overhead utility lines.

     Your Committee received testimony from the PUC, Department
of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Consumer Advocate, AT&T, Kauai
Electric, Malama o Manoa, GTE, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.,
Life of the Land, and two private individuals.

     Your Committee finds that there is increasing community
interest in the undergrounding of utility lines due to health,
public safety, environmental, and aesthetic concerns.  Your
Committee further finds that if the State chooses as a matter of
policy to require undergrounding of utility facilities, it is
necessary to find a means of equitably allocating the cost to
finance such a policy.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3171
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of S.C.R. No. 169, and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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