STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3597

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 88

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 Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 88 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE THE CARBON EMISSIONS ARISING FROM AIRPLANE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and Department of Land and Natural Resources to take action to reduce the carbon emissions arising from airplane transportation to and from the State.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from Department of the Attorney General and Hawaiian Airlines.

Your Committees find that the Hawaiian islands are the most remote inhabited archipelago from any continental land mass, to and from which air transportation is the only means of rapid travel. Your Committees further find that multiple possibilities exist to address carbon emissions caused by air travel to and from the State, that include but are not limited to offsetting the carbon contributions from visitors, adjusting the number of visitors coming to the State, and requiring airlines operating in the State to use technology that has a lower carbon output. Your Committees conclude that reducing emissions requires governmental action from both the Legislature and by state departments and agencies.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and Department of Land and Natural Resources are urged to take any action possible to reduce the carbon emissions arising from airplane transportation to and from the State;

(2) Requesting that the Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and Department of Land and Natural Resources convene a task force to research sustainable aviation fuel and other decarbonization measures for domestic and international travel that can be turned into actual recommendations for the departments and Legislature;

(3) Requesting that the task force be co-chaired by the Director of Transportation and the Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office and consist of the following members:

(A) A representative from the Department of Health;

(B) A representative from the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; and

(C) Any members deemed necessary and invited by the co-chairs; and

(4) Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 88, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 88, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair