STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1922

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 208

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 208, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING EACH COUNTY TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND FINANCIAL STRATEGY TO UPGRADE, CONVERT, OR CONNECT CESSPOOLS LOCATED WITHIN ITS RESPECTIVE JURISDICTION BY 2050,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request each county to develop a comprehensive integrated wastewater management plan and financial strategy to upgrade, convert, or connect cesspools located within its respective jurisdiction by 2050.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Housing Hawai‘i's Future, Hawai‘i Reef and Ocean Coalition, WAI: Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations, Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS, and two individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that there are approximately eighty-three thousand cesspools across the State. Your Committees further find that Act 125, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, (Act 125) requires every cesspool in the State, excluding cesspools granted exemptions by the Director of Health, to be upgraded or converted to a Director-approved wastewater system or connected to a sewerage system by January 1, 2050. However, the cost of conversions to most private and residential property owners is significant and many properties in rural areas, especially on the neighbor islands, may not have existing county infrastructure that allows for an easy upgrade, conversion, or connection. Your Committees believe that undertaking the massive infrastructure project of converting eighty-three thousand cesspools by 2050 will require proper planning and administration across various stakeholders and governmental institutions. This measure will encourage the necessary preparation and communication between relevant parties to meet the requirements of Act 125.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 208, H.D. 1, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair