STAND. COM. REP. NO.  616-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2626

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2626 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help protect Hawaii's marine environment and underground aquifers in the face of climate change by:

 

     (1)  Prohibiting the permitting of new underground storage tanks within 100 yards of the shoreline;

 

     (2)  Allowing holders of permits for existing underground storage tanks within 100 yards of the shoreline to renew their permits until January 1, 2029; and

 

     (3)  Prohibiting the operation of any underground storage tank within 100 yards of the shoreline as of January 1, 2030.

 

     The Honolulu Board of Water Supply and Sierra Club of Hawaii supported this measure.  The Department of Health supported the intent of the measure.  The Hawaii Petroleum Marketers Association; Hawaii Petroleum, Inc.; and Par Hawaii opposed the measure.


     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the deadline by which holders of permits for existing underground storage tanks within 100 yards of the shoreline can renew their permits;

 

     (2)  Deleting the prohibition against the operation of any underground storage tank within 100 yards of the shoreline as of January 1, 2030; and

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2626, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

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

 

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair