STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1618

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 64

S.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 Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 64 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S SOLID WASTE SECTION TO DEVELOP A PLAN OF INITIATIVES FOR IMPROVED WASTE DIVERSION BY WORKING WITH THE COUNTIES TO ADDRESS EACH COUNTY'S UNIQUE NEEDS ACCORDING TO ITS GEOGRAPHY, POPULATION, AND INDUSTRY MAKE-UP,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health's Solid Waste Section to develop a plan of initiatives for improved waste diversion by working with the counties to address each county's unique needs according to its geography, population, and industry make-up.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund and International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committees find that by-products of solid waste deposited into landfills, including methane gas, can have adverse effects on the surrounding environment and health of nearby communities. Your Committees further find that incineration with recyclable-materials separation and energy recovery, which is a waste-to-energy technology where recyclable materials are separated from waste before it is burned at a temperatures high enough to destroy contaminants and the heat generated during the process is used to generate electric power, can reduce the State's solid waste from landfills, while extracting energy and valuable materials for recycling. This measure will promote collaboration among the State and counties to improve waste diversion activities within the State and reduce its reliance on landfills and fossil fuels.

Your Committees acknowledge the testimony of the Department of Health stating that it will need approximately $500,000 to develop and submit an economic viability report that analyzes the elements prescribed in this measure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting certain findings that suggest the State would not be able to meet its landfill diversion goals without the use of incineration;

(2) Clarifying that the Department of Health's Solid Waste Section is requested to, subject to the availability of funding, investigate strategies for improved waste diversion;

(3) Clarifying that fulfilment of the additional requests made in this measure is subject to the availability of funding;

(4) Deleting language that would have requested the Department of Health's preliminary report to the Legislature to include any proposed legislation; and

(5) 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 Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 64, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 64, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair