STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1151

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   S.B. No. 723

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred S.B. No. 723, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the exemption from the State's environmental impact statement law, any primary action that requires a permit or approval that is not subject to discretionary consent and that involves a secondary action that is ancillary and limited to the installation, improvement, renovation, construction, or development of infrastructure within an existing public right-of-way or highway.

 

     The Commercial Real Estate Development Association, Hawaii Chapter, the Hawaii Association of Realtors, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and Hawaiian Electric Company testified in support of the measure.  The Office of Environmental Quality Control and one individual commented on the measure.

 

     Your Committees note that Act 87, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, was enacted to address concerns regarding undue delays and unnecessary expenses for minor actions that have insignificant environmental impacts.  These concerns remain valid and support an extension of the sunset date for Act 87.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making it effective upon approval.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 723, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 723, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources,

 

 

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair

 

____________________________

DENNY COFFMAN, Acting Chair