STAND. COM. REP. NO.  394-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2507

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2507 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to assist the work of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Task Force (Task Force) in its efforts to help reduce by January 1, 2020, greenhouse gas emissions in Hawaii to levels at or below the estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for 1990 by appropriating $135,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009 for a Task Force Program Manager and a Task Force Project Assistant/Researcher.

     The Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., Maui Electric Company, Ltd., Sierra Club – Hawaii Chapter, and Hawaii Solar Energy Association supported this bill.

     Your Committee would like to encourage further discussion with respect to the funding source for the two positions--whether by increasing the petroleum barrel tax, from the Environmental Response Fund, or from the state general fund.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2507 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair