STAND. COM. REP. NO.318

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 655

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 655 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISPOSAL SURCHARGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to increase the solid waste management disposal surcharge from 35 cents per ton to 75 cents per ton for all disposal facilities except permitted inert and construction and demolition waste disposal facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in strong support of this measure from the Department of Health, citing an urgent need for more funding for its Office of Solid Waste Management (OSWM). Testimony in opposition to this measure was received from the City & County of Honolulu. Hawaii Metal Recycling Company, and Rolloffs Hawaii, Inc., testified in opposition primarily citing concerns about tipping fees charged by the City & County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that the tip fee surcharge was initiated with the creation of the OSWM in 1993. At that time, the tip fee surcharge was proposed to be 75 cents per ton but was set at 25 cents per ton. It was increased to 35 cents per ton in 1997. As a result, OSWM has never fully operated as envisioned.

 

Your Committee further finds that integrated solutions to solid waste management are critical to address our limited options for landfilling, recycling and other waste stream diversion methods. Lack of funding has precluded OSWM ability to act proactively.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 655 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair