STAND. COM. REP. NO. 951

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1628

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST BIOENERGY HAWAII, LLC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of up to $100,000,000 in special purpose revenue bonds to assist BioEnergy Hawaii, LLC, or a partnership in which BioEnergy Hawaii, LLC, is a general partner, with the establishment of cogeneration and related energy production facilities.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency and one individual.  Comments on the measure were submitted by one state agency.  Written testimony presented to your Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that BioEnergy Hawaii, LLC, proposes to build a renewable, waste-to-energy facility at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, in Kailua-Kona.  The facility aims to, among other things, produce six to eight megawatts of electricity (enough to supply six to eight thousand typical Big Island homes per year) and recycle carbon dioxide from the gasification of the waste into energy by selling the carbon dioxide to farmers and by using it in the production of biofuels from algae.  This proposed facility will make a significant positive impact on the environmental and economic well-being of the Big Island and our State.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair