STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1741-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.R. No. 216

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.R. No. 216 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF WASTE-DERIVED FERTILIZERS, ANIMAL FEED, SOIL AMENDMENTS, AGRICULTURAL MINERALS, AUXILIARY SOIL, AND PLANT SUBSTANCES ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CONSUMERS, FARMERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to help ensure the health and safety of consumers, farmers, and the general public by requesting the Department of Health (DOH)to study the impact of waste-derived fertilizers, animal feed, soil amendments, agricultural minerals, auxiliary soil, and plant substances.

DOH, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, and several concerned individuals supported this measure. The Hawaiian Alliance for Responsible Technology & Science and a concerned individual supported this measure with amendments. The Hawaii Agriculture Research Center supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Agriculture submitted comments.

Your Committees note that testimony provided during the public hearing indicated that standards developed by the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials have been in place for content levels of non-nutritive metals in fertilizers, soil amendments, agricultural minerals, auxiliary soils, and plant substances. In spite of these standards, however, your Committees also recognize that there still exist conflicting claims on the allowable levels of hazardous wastes in fertilizers, animal feed, and other agricultural products and substances.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the study focus on the impact of hazardous substances in fertilizers instead of waste-derived fertilizers;

(2) Changing the title to conform to the revision to read:

"REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN FERTILIZERS, ANIMAL FEED, SOIL AMENDMENTS, AGRICULTURAL MINERALS, AUXILIARY SOIL, AND PLANT SUBSTANCES ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CONSUMERS, FARMERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC"; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 216, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 216, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair

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FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair