STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2574

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2513

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2513 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a three-year new waste management solution and cesspool system demonstration pilot program within the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to:

(A) Examine and demonstrate new wastewater and cesspool technology systems;

(B) Implement those technologies in demonstration projects in areas across the State that are identified as priority level 1 in the 2021 Hawaii Cesspool Hazard Assessment and Prioritization Tool Report; and

(C) Establish a similar ranking system for prioritization levels for the islands of Molokai, Lanai, and Niihau;

(2) Require the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to submit annual reports to the Legislature;

(3) Appropriate $3,025,468 to the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to implement the new waste management solution and cesspool system demonstration pilot program; and

(4) Appropriate to the Department of Health out of the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund:

(A) $56,304 to fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) engineer position; and

(B) $52,044 to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) planner position,

within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center, UH Sea Grant College Program, Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations LLC, Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition, and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committees find that Act 125, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, set the goal to upgrade or convert the 83,000 cesspools in the State to a septic or aerobic treatment unit system or to connect them to a central sewerage system before 2050. Your Committees additionally find that the lack of affordable, effective technology options is a major impediment to Hawaii's water quality improvement goals, and has the potential to result in a huge investment that yields little actual benefit. This measure ensures progress with the State's goal to upgrade or convert cesspools while promoting clean environment standards.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to consult with all appropriate county agencies in fulfilling its duties as part of the three-year new waste management solution and cesspool system demonstration pilot program;

(2) Deleting language that would have appropriated funds to the Department of Health out of the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) engineer position and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) planner position within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch and replacing it with language that makes a general fund appropriation to the Department of Health for:

(A) $89,500 to fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) engineer V position within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch; and

(B) $82,700 to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) engineer IV position within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch;

(3) Inserting language clarifying that the appropriated funds are to be expended to support the approval of individual wastewater systems applications and the new waste management solution and cesspool system demonstration pilot program established pursuant to this measure; and

(4) 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 Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2513, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2513, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair