STAND. COM. REP. NO. 109

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 587

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 587 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require each county to submit to the Legislature a comprehensive integrated wastewater management plan report that addresses and identifies the county's wastewater management needs, including financial needs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai‘i Water Resources Research Center, County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Reef and Ocean Coalition, Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS, WAI: Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations, and five individuals.

Your Committees find that every cesspool in the State, excluding cesspools exempted by the Director of Health, shall be upgraded or converted to a Director-approved wastewater system or connected to a sewerage system by January 1, 2050. Converting, upgrading, or connecting over eighty thousand cesspools by 2050 will be a massive infrastructure project and will require proper planning and administration across various stakeholders and governmental entities, including several counties. This measure identifies existing wastewater management infrastructure needs, including financial needs, and helps to ensure that residents can comply with the conversion mandate.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 587, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 587, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair