STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2833

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2629

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2629 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require state agencies to participate in a carbon offset program to offset carbon emissions caused by their employees' air travel; and

(2) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and administer a carbon offset program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Climate Protectors Coalition, 350Hawaii, and five individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office and Office of Planning.

Your Committees find that air travel by state employees produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate effects. Reforestation projects involving planting trees can sequester substantial amounts of carbon dioxide, as well as provide a variety of ecological, culture, recreational, education, and economic benefits. This measure will establish a carbon offset program, the funds from which would help to accelerate the number of trees planted and mitigate our carbon footprint.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Incorporating the Department of Land and Natural Resources proposed changes by clarifying that the carbon offset program shall include a procedure for determining the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in metric tons that result from air travel by a single airline passenger based on the average fuel consumption and corresponding carbon dioxide emission per hours traveled;

(2) Removing the term "department" as defined and replacing it with "departments", defined as the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Budget and Finance and making conforming amendments; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2629, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2629, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations,

________________________________ LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair