STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1078-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2575

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 Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2575 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the:

(1) Mining, extraction, and removal of minerals from the seabed in all state marine waters, with certain exemptions; and

(2) Issuance of any permit for or in connection with the development or operation of any facility or infrastructure associated with the mining, extraction, or removal of minerals from the seabed within state marine waters.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Sustainable Ocean Alliance Hawaiʻi; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Parley for the Oceans, Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Youth Climate Coalition; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund; Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea; Deep Sea Mining Campaign; 350Hawaii.org; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Rev Ocean; Friends of Hanauma Bay; FutureSwell; Marine Conservation Institute; Kauai Women's Caucus; Hawaiʻi's Thousand Friends; Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi; National Parks Conservation Association; Oceanic Preservation Society; Surfrider Foundation, Hawaiʻi Region; Blue Climate Initiative; Tetiaroa Society; Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory; The Marine Mammal Center; The Ocean Foundation; Greenpeace Hawaii; HULI PAC; Te Ipukarea Society; Intemerate Earth; Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo; For the Fishes; The Nature Conservancy; Americans for Democratic Action; Keiko Conservation; Fair Wind Cruises; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that seabed mineral mining threatens the health of the State's marine ecosystems. This measure prohibits the mining, extraction, and removal of minerals from the seabed in all state marine waters, with certain exemptions, thereby taking a cautionary approach similar to other states, in weighing the costs and benefits of the potential extraction of natural resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2575, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2575, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair