SR 85: requesting the governor, or the Governor's designee, to convene a Working Group on Solid Waste Management.

SENATE RESOLUTION

requesting the governor, or the Governor's designee, to convene a Working Group on Solid Waste Management.

     WHEREAS, the permit for the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei on Oahu expires in 2028; and

     WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu (City) has not identified any sites for a new landfill that the Honolulu Board of Water Supply finds acceptable because the sites identified are located above aquifers and therefore development of a new landfill there has the potential to contaminate ground water; and

     WHEREAS, the City claims that the legally available and feasible options for a new landfill are located above aquifers and lands with soils classified by the Land Study Bureau's detailed land classification as overall (master) productivity rating class A or B; and

     WHEREAS, the United States Department of Defense holds that federal lands controlled by the military are not available for landfill use under federal rules; and

     WHEREAS, if no new landfill site is identified, the City will be forced to pursue a legally prohibited expansion of the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill; and

     WHEREAS, a new landfill on Oahu is inherently problematic and is not necessarily the best way that communities in the State can reduce and handle the solid waste produced by their linear extract, package, and throw-away economy; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Governor, or the Governor's designee, is requested to convene a Solid Waste Management Working Group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Solid Waste Management Working Group is requested to comprise the following:

     (1)  A representative from the Department of Health;

     (2)  A representative from the Department of Environmental Services of the City and County of Honolulu;

     (3)  A representative from each county, as designated by the mayor of that county;

     (4)  A representative from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply;

     (5)  A representative from the recycling industry, who is requested to be invited by the Governor;

     (6)  A representative from the composting industry, who is requested to be invited by the Governor;

     (7)  A representative from the reuse industry, who is requested to be invited by the Governor;

     (8)  A representative from the deconstruction industry, who is requested to be invited by the Governor;

     (9)  A representative from Zero Waste USA, who is requested to be invited by the Governor;

    (10)  A representative from a Hawaii-based environmental nonprofit organization advocating for zero waste priorities, who is requested to be invited by the Governor;

    (11)  A landfill expert with specialization in landfill liner leakage, who is requested to be invited by the Governor;

    (12)  An expert in unit-based pricing, who is requested to be invited by the Governor; and

    (13)  A representative from the United States Armed Forces, who is requested to be invited by the Governor; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor, or the Governor's designee, is requested to convene the initial meeting for the Solid Waste Management Working Group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Solid Waste Management Working Group is requested to elect a chair from among its members at the initial meeting of the working group, who is in turn requested to convene subsequent meetings for the working group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Solid Waste Management Working Group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report is requested to include:

     (1)  Information on materials management policies and programs that reduce solid waste and protect the environment, which includes the groundwater, earth, and air; and

     (2)  A list of alternative technologies to address solid waste management of waste that cannot typically be recycled or composted; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, who is in turn requested to transmit a copy to each stakeholder invited to participate in the Solid Waste Management Working Group; Director of Health; Mayor of each county; and Manager and Chief Engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Report Title: 

Governor; DOH; Solid Waste Management; Working Group; Report

SENATE RESOLUTION

requesting the Department of Health to form a Working Group on Solid Waste Management.

     WHEREAS, the permit for the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Nanakuli on Oahu expires in 2028; and

     WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu (City) has not identified any sites for a new landfill that the Honolulu Board of Water Supply finds acceptable because the sites identified are located above aquifers and therefore have the potential to contaminate ground water; and

     WHEREAS, the City claims that the only legally available and feasible options for a new landfill are located above aquifers and lands with soils classified by the Land Study Bureau's detailed land classification as overall (master) productivity rating class A or B; and

     WHEREAS, the United States Department of Defense holds that federal lands controlled by the military are not available for landfill use under federal rules; and

     WHEREAS, if no new landfill site is identified, the City will be forced to pursue a legally prohibited expansion of the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill; and

     WHEREAS, a new landfill on Oahu is inherently problematic and is not necessarily the only way that a community can dispose of the solid waste it produces; and

     WHEREAS, H-Power, the State's only waste-to-energy plant, is also unpopular and relies on a landfill to dispose of its toxic residues; and

     WHEREAS, different waste management technologies such as plasma arc gasification and pyrolysis need to be examined as potential solutions to Hawaii's landfill problem; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Health is requested to establish a Solid Waste Management Working Group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Solid Waste Management Working Group is requested to comprise representatives from:

     (1)  The Department of Health;

     (2)  The Department of Environmental Services of the City and County of Honolulu;

     (3)  Each county, as designated by the mayor of that county;

     (4)  The Honolulu Board of Water Supply;

     (5)  The recycling industry, who is requested to be invited by the Governor; and

     (6)  The composting industry, who is requested to be invited by the Governor; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Solid Waste Management Working Group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report is requested to include information on solid waste management alternatives that protect the environment, which includes the groundwater, earth, and air, and existing alternatives currently in use; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Mayor of each county, and Manager and Chief Engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Report Title: 

Department of Health; Solid Waste Management; Working Group; Report

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1589

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 85

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 85 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO FORM A WORKING GROUP ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a working group on solid waste management.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Climate Protectors Hawaii, Energy Justice Network, Green Party of Hawaiʻi, Kauai Climate Action Coalition, Zero Waste Kauai, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, and eight individuals.

     Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Reworld, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that the State's landfills are nearing capacity, with significant community opposition against the expansion of existing facilities or the establishment of new facilities.  Your Committees further find that the establishment of a new landfill is evidently problematic and not necessarily the best way that a community can dispose of the solid waste it produces.  Your Committees believe that alternative waste management technologies and methods need to be examined as potential solutions to the State's landfill problem.  Accordingly, this measure convenes a Solid Waste Management Working Group to collaborate, analyze, and report on solid waste management policies and programs other than utilization of landfills that reduce solid waste and protect the State's environment.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting the Governor, or the Governor's designee, rather than the Department of Health, to convene the Solid Waste Management Working Group;

     (2)  Adding the following to the membership of the Solid Waste Management Working Group requested to be invited by the Governor:

          (A)  A representative from the reuse industry;

          (B)  A representative from the deconstruction industry;

          (C)  A representative from Zero Waste USA;

          (D)  A representative from a Hawaii-based environmental nonprofit organization advocating for zero waste priorities;

          (E)  A landfill expert with specialization in landfill liner leakage;

          (F)  An expert in unit-based pricing; and

          (G)  A representative from the United States Armed Forces;

     (3)  Inserting language to request the Governor, or the Governor's designee, to convene the initial meeting for the Solid Waste Management Working Group;

     (4)  Inserting language to request the Solid Waste Management Working Group to elect a chair from among its members at the initial meeting of the working group;

     (5)  Inserting language to request the Chair of the Solid Waste Management Working Group to convene subsequent meetings for the Solid Waste Management Working Group;

     (6)  Clarifying that the Solid Waste Management Working Group's report to the Legislature is requested to include:

          (A)  Information on materials management policies and programs that reduce solid waste and protect the environment, which includes the groundwater, earth, and air; and

          (B)  A list of alternative technologies to address solid waste management of waste that cannot typically be recycled or composted;

     (7)  Amending legislative findings;

     (8)  Amending its title accordingly; and

     (9)  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.R. No. 85, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 85, S.D. 1.

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