STAND. COM. REP. NO. 181-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2388

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2388 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Office of Environmental Quality Control, which was transferred to the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and renamed as the Environmental Review Program in 2021, to establish, implement, and maintain an interactive website that is accessible by the public at no cost and provides notification of and opportunity for participation in actions taken pursuant to the State's environmental review process.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Life of the Land and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Your Committee finds that transparency is important to the public, especially regarding the approval and permitting processes for construction and other projects that may impact the environment. Although the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development currently has a website that provides information to the public, the information provided on the site is difficult to locate. This measure further encourages public participation by improving the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development's website to be more user-friendly for the public.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the expending agency for the appropriation from the Department of Health to the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2100, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2388, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2388, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair