STAND. COM. REP. NO.  840

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1640

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns, to which was referred H.B. No. 1640 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERMITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide incentives for the designation and agricultural use of important agricultural lands (IALs) by requiring the Department of Health to establish and implement procedures giving priority to air pollution permits for agribusiness crop or livestock processing facilities where the majority of the lands used or owned by the agribusiness are designated as IALs.

     The Maui County Farm Bureau, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., and Land Use Research Foundation supported this bill.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.  The Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, opposed the bill.  The Department of Health commented on the bill.

     Your Committee believes this measure, in addition to supporting the designation and use of IALs, will send a clear message to the counties that providing IAL incentives is a priority of the State.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1640 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair