THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

153

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting an investigation on the state and counties' land use policies with regard to soliD waste management programs.

 

WHEREAS, one of the primary functions of government is to adopt land use policies that balance many competing interests and ensure a proper balance between community development and adequate provision of services to the public; and

WHEREAS, solid waste management is one issue that must be incorporated into any comprehensive land use plan; and

WHEREAS, the existing solid waste landfill on the leeward coast of Oahu is at capacity; and

WHEREAS, our society relies heavily on disposable consumer goods, which will continue to produce prodigious amounts of waste to be dumped in landfills; and

WHEREAS, there is no broad-scale viable recycling program in the State to divert recyclable materials from our landfills; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary for the State to reassess its solid waste management and landfill policies, to determine a new site to dump our trash; and

WHEREAS, chapters 340A and 342G, Hawaii Revised Statutes, govern certain aspects of ownership and disposal of solid waste, but do not mandate the location of landfills in the State; and

WHEREAS, the legislative intent behind the underground injection control program authorized by section 340E-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, was to regulate underground injections only, and not to apply to the siting of landfills; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature is concerned that moneys from fees collected for use of landfills is being diverted to balance government budgets rather than to improve solid waste management programs; and

WHEREAS, the issue of solid waste management must be addressed in a comprehensive manner, with input from all affected agencies and communities, so that the State is able to balance its need to responsibly dispose of solid waste with its duty to protect the environment; and

WHEREAS, solid waste management is primarily a state planning issue, whereby the relevant state agencies and constituencies must coordinate their land use planning efforts to ensure proper community development; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Auditor is requested to assess the adequacy of existing land use policies that are used to determine where landfills are sited; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor's investigation include at least the following aspects:

(1) An assessment of the State and counties' existing total landfill capacity, the criteria used to determine such capacity, and whether the State and counties' integrated solid waste management programs accurately depict future landfill needs;

(2) An assessment of the urgency of establishing another landfill on Oahu;

(3) Whether the State and counties are in compliance with their respective duties under chapters 340A and 342G, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(4) An assessment of human health impacts of siting permitted landfills above public underground drinking water sources; and

(5) An assessment of the fees charged for landfill use and how those moneys are used, with a view toward recommending a fee structure to ensure continuing study and implementation of state-of-the-art technology and practices to effectively manage solid waste; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor report the results of the investigation to the Legislature not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2004 Regular Session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Land Use Policies; Auditor Investigation; Solid Waste Management Programs