STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1557

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 82

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 82 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE HAWAII STATE ENERGY OFFICE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTEGRATED HAWAII PACIFIC HYDROGEN HUB,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the Hawaii State Energy Office in the establishment of an integrated Hawaii Pacific Hydrogen Hub.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Technology Development Corporation; Hawaii State Energy Office; University of Hawai‘i System; and Servco Pacific, Inc.

Your Committee finds that the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes up to $7,000,000,000 to establish six to ten regional clean hydrogen hubs across the United States to be a central driver in helping communities benefit from clean energy investments, good-paying jobs, and improved energy security. The Hawaii State Energy Office and its consortium of private-public sector partners' concept paper for an integrated Hawaii Pacific Hydrogen Hub was one of thirty-three concept papers to be encouraged by the United States Department of Energy to proceed to a full application for the United States Department of Energy Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs funding opportunity. This measure supports the Hawaii State Energy Office in the establishment of an integrated Hawaii Pacific Hydrogen Hub that will provide economic vitality, better quality of life, and greater energy security for the people of Hawaii and the Pacific region through the local production, processing, transport, storage, and use of clean hydrogen.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 82, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 82, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

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LYNN DECOITE, Chair