STAND. COM. REP. NO. 364

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1459

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 Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1459 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a task force to examine the consequences of drinking water contamination detected at the Waipahu Wells II Granular Activated Carbon Treatment Facility.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that the Waipahu-Ewa-Waianae water system serves approximately 217,500 individuals and is located on the leeward side of Oahu. Your Committee further finds that perfluorohexanoic acid, part of the group of chemicals known as forever chemicals, was detected in water samples collected at the Waipahu Wells II Granular Activated Carbon Treatment Facility. While the levels found at these wells are significantly below the action level based on current information, your Committee finds that further investigation is necessary for public health and safety. Therefore, this measure establishes a task force to examine the consequences of drinking water contamination detected at the Waipahu Wells II Granular Activated Carbon Treatment Facility.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing as chair of the task force the Chairperson of the Commission on Water Resource Management, or the Chairperson's designee, with the member from the Department of Health selected by the Director of Health;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1459, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1459, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair