STAND. COM. REP. NO.  82

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1273

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1273 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the construction of qualifying hydroelectric facilities on agricultural lands subject to conditions related to water management and preservation of agricultural use.

The Department of Agriculture, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation supported the intent of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources commented on this measure.

Should the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Consumer Protection & Commerce further deliberate on this bill, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that those Committees consider:

(1)  Comments and proposed amendments submitted to this Committee by the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources; and

(2)  Whether it is appropriate to establish a tax credit for qualifying hydroelectric facilities.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1273 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair