STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2180

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2093

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2093 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FUEL TANK ADVISORY COMMITTEE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee to hold at least one regular meeting during each calendar quarter; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, ʻAhahui O Hawaiʻi, Free Access Coalition, Malama Makua, ʻAhahui o nā Kauka, Kupuna for the Moopuna, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Ke One O Kākuhihewa Oʻahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Red Hill Community Representation Initiative, and fifty-six individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committees find that the establishment of the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee was a direct result of the water and environmental contamination caused by leaks of the United States Department of the Navy's Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility fuel tanks. Efforts to monitor and remediate fuel leaking from Red Hill were deemed by the Legislature as essential to protect Oahu's drinking water supply. The Fuel Tank Advisory Committee is, therefore, required to, among other things, study issues related to the leaks, consider response strategies, and improve communication. This measure would require the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee to hold at least one meeting each calendar quarter to further facilitate the multi-jurisdictional coordination and enable the Advisory Committee to more quickly take action necessary to address the ongoing and evolving ecological threats of the Red Hill fuel tanks.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that one of the four meetings held by the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee each year shall be convened outside of normal business hours to encourage greater public engagement; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2093, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2093, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair