STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1680

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 51

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 Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 51 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION urging the city and county of honolulu to exempt from real property tax those property owners of residential units within one-half mile of an active municipal solid waste landfill or construction and demolition landfill,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the City and County of Honolulu to exempt from real property tax those property owners of residential units within one-half mile of an active municipal solid waste landfill or construction.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that studies have shown evidence of significant health impacts for those living up to two miles away from an active landfill depending on geography, micro-climates, and local mitigation efforts. Your Committee further finds that those living within one-half mile of an active municipal solid waste landfill or a construction and demolition landfill, presumably those most impacted by any negative health effects, would benefit from funds made available from a property tax exemption to address their individual safety and health. Therefore, this measure urges the City and County of Honolulu to exempt from real property tax those property owners of residential units within one-half mile of an active municipal solid waste landfill or construction and demolition landfill.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including information concerning evidence of negative health impacts for people living up to two miles from an active landfill;

(2) Including information concerning the types of health problems experienced by residents living near active landfills;

(3) Including information concerning the added economic costs of living near an active landfill;

(4) Urging the City and County of Honolulu to provide a real property tax exemption for property owners of residential units outside of one-half mile of an active landfill that it deems to have been impacted by a landfill to a degree that would warrant an exemption; and

(5) Amending its title to reflect its amended purpose.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 51, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 51, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair