STAND. COM. REP. NO. 52-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1926

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1926 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RED HILL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds for studies on remediation of substances released from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility; environmental monitoring and testing; research on groundwater modeling and sampling; and independent testing and verification of water data, to be published on a public dashboard; and

(2) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to seek reimbursement from the United States Department of Defense for these expenditures.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi College of Engineering, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure supports the remediation and long-term stewardship of Oahu's precious groundwater resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts; and

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $11,169,513 into and out of the Red Hill Remediation Special Fund, to be allocated in the following manner:

(1) $2,800,193 for studies on remediation of substances released from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility;

(2) $4,379,320 for environmental monitoring and testing;

(3) $750,000 for research on groundwater modeling and sampling; and

(4) $3,240,000 for independent testing and verification of water data, to be published on a public dashboard.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1926, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1926, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair