STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1643

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 216

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 216 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING EACH COUNTY TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND FINANCIAL STRATEGY TO UPGRADE OR CONVERT 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 or convert cesspools located within its respective jurisdiction by 2050.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hawai‘i Reef and Ocean Coalition. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committees 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, many properties in rural areas, especially on the neighbor islands, may not be in areas where existing county infrastructure allows for easy conversion and connection to sewer systems. Your Committees further find that a massive statewide infrastructure project, such as converting the cesspools in the State by 2050, requires proper planning and administration across various stakeholders and governmental institutions, including those of the counties. Therefore, this measure requests each county to develop a comprehensive integrated wastewater management plan and financial strategy to upgrade or convert cesspools located within its respective jurisdiction by 2050.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 216 and recommend its adoption.

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

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair