STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1810-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2518

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2518, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL ENERGY EXPLORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Hawaii State Energy Office to conduct a statewide environmental assessment for, and subsequently administer, a geothermal resources characterization program under the direction of the Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center at the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Ulupono Initiative; Blue Planet Foundation; Sustainable Energy Hawaiʻi; Citizens' Climate Lobby Hawaii; Elemental Excelerator; Hawaiian Electric; Indigenous Consultants, LLC; Innovations Development Group, Inc.; Tigershark, LLC; Keoki and Malia; and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee requests the subject matter committees on this measure to consider whether the requirement for a statewide environmental assessment proposed by this measure should be placed in Session Laws, rather than codified in the Hawaii Revised Statutes, due to its temporary nature.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2518, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair