STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3510

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 142

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 Health and Human Services and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 142 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DUST MONITORING STATIONS IN AND AROUND WAIMANALO GULCH TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the establishment of dust monitoring stations in and around Waimanalo Gulch to protect public health and environmental quality.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Energy Justice Network.

Your Committees find that dust and airborne particulate matter can pose serious health risks, including respiratory, cardiovascular, and allergic conditions, and that dust monitoring is the process of measuring and tracking the concentration, type, and movement of dust particles in the air or in a specific environment. Your Committees further find that real-time and historical data from dust monitoring stations promotes transparency and community engagement by allowing residents, researchers, and local decision-makers to access and understand air quality conditions in their areas. This measure allows the collection of critical data to inform public health policy decisions, support the enforcement of environmental regulations, and guide dust control and mitigation strategies.

Your Committees acknowledge the concern raised in testimony by the Department of Health that establishing the monitoring stations requested by this measure would require the expansion of its existing monitoring network, with installation costs estimated to range from $600,000 to $700,000, and recurring costs that could exceed $230,000 annually for maintenance, data management, and specialized analysis and contractor support. Your Committees note that there is currently no funding available to support this expansion. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address this issue.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Health is urged to make recommendations on, rather than establish, dust monitoring stations at strategic locations in and around Waimanalo Gulch;

(2) Amending its title accordingly; and

(3) 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 Health and Human Services and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 142, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 142, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair