STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2526

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2675

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 Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2675 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY AND FOOD SECURITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Hawaii State Energy Office, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources, to facilitate the private sector's development of renewable energy projects that also support agricultural food production;

(2) Establish within the Hawaii State Energy Office a three-year Phytoremediation Biofuels Pilot Program to be conducted by the Hawaii State Energy Office in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources;

(3) Require a report to the Governor and Legislature; and

(4) Make appropriations, including for the establishment of an Interagency Liaison position within the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office; Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, LLC; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; and three individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau.

Your Committees find that the State is committed to increasing the amount of locally grown food to help improve food security and self-sufficiency. Your Committees further find that there are many acres of suitable farmland currently being used solely for renewable energy projects that could simultaneously help support both the State's renewable energy and food security goals. This measure further helps the State advance these goals.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to amend the permitted uses for all lands with soil classified by the Land Study Bureau's detailed land classification as overall (master) productivity rating class A or B and for solar energy facilities, class B or C;

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committees note that this measure contains appropriations in unspecified amounts. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it consider appropriate amounts to be inserted into this measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2675, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2675, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair