STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3611

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 131

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 Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 131 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO URGE CONGRESS TO FUND CONSTRUCTION OF A LABORATORY CERTIFIED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ON ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS IN THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge:

(1) Hawaii's congressional delegation to take all actions necessary and proper to cause the United States Congress to fund the construction and commencement of operations of a laboratory certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to analyze environmental toxins in the State and publish its results to the public; and

(2) The Governor, Department of Health, and other relevant governmental agencies to support the construction and commencement of operations of the EPA-certified laboratory.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, and two individuals.

Your Committees find that the State's ability to evaluate the presence of environmental toxins in its air, water, soil, and biological specimens is severely hindered by the lack of a local laboratory certified by the EPA. Despite the rising number of contamination issues in the State creating an urgent need for a local EPA-certified laboratory, the cost to construct and operate one is currently beyond the State's means. This measure will allow the State to obtain the necessary funding to construct and operate a local EPA-certified laboratory that will enable the State to evaluate possible exposures to toxic compounds in a timely manner, manage and mitigate the impacts of exposure, if needed, and facilitate the prompt and transparent disclosure to the public.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Amending its title accordingly; and

(2) 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 Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 131, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 131, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair