House Standing Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection

Convening the committee on energy and environmental protection, it's our last hearing of the session. And it is Friday, 04/17/2026, 10:05AM. We're in Conference Room 325, also on Zoom. If you're joining us via Zoom and you get disconnected, please try to reconnect. And if you cannot reconnect, we should have your written testimony.

We're gonna begin with this is an agenda of resolutions. So we're gonna begin with SCR 142 SD one, urging the Department of Health to make recommendations on the establishment of dust monitoring stations in and around Waimanalo Village to protect public health and environmental quality. First to testify is the Department of Health with comments.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, and committee members. I'm Mike Mattson from the Department of Health Clean Air branch. And we stand by our written testimony. And I'm available if there are any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. I also have testimony in support from the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii. Is there anyone else who wishes to testify on this measure, either in person or on Zoom? Seeing none, members, are there any questions? Moving on to SCR 39 SD one.

This would establish a mattress stewardship program. First to testify, we have the Department of Health in support in person.

Good morning, chair, vice chair, Mullers of Ravidi, Renee H. Wachuba, Department of Health, Sullivan Securities Branch. We stand on our written testimony. So In support. Support.

Thank you. Thank you. We also have testimony in support from Climate Protectors Hawaii. And is there anyone else who wishes to testify on this measure? Seeing none. Members, any questions?

Moving on. Going to SCR 40. This would urge the county of Hawaii and city and county of Honolulu to adopt ordinances banning the sale of rental and distribution of disposable body boards. We have testimony in support from Ted Bolin, who is not here in person or on Zoom to testify. So members, we have no one can ask questions.

So moving on to the next measure, SCR 83, which requests the city and county of Honolulu to consider developing a facility to discard lithium ion batteries. And the first to testify the only person to testify on this measure, again, is Climate Protectors Hawaii, Ted Bolen, in support, and, again, not present. So sorry. No one to query. SDR 168 requests the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to convene demolition waste waste reduction working group.

We have testimony with comments from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. Not just not here. And then we also have testimony in support from Hawaii Reef and Oceans Coalition, also not present. So we have no one to ask questions of. Moving on to SCR 96 SD 1.

This would request the Public Utilities Commission to provide a report to the legislature on the progress of the Hawaii Electric reliability administrator. We have testimony from Public Utilities Commission, John Itamura, comments in person.

Aloha. Good morning, vice chair Peruso, chair Loewen, and members of the Committee on Energy Environment Protection. My name is Andrew Kaveh. I'm an engineer at the Public Utilities Commission. I am the hero engineer at the commission.

I stand on chair Itamura's testimony with comments and from the commission as well. I am here to answer any questions the committee may have. Thank you.

Thank you.

Members oh, is there anyone else who wishes to satisfy on this measure? Seeing none, members, are there any questions? Seeing none, we're gonna move on to our second to last, item on the agenda, which is SCR 166 SD one. This would process the Public Utilities Commission to make certain judgments, considerations, and decisions when making any determination relating to a generational energy commitment for the state. So first to testify, we have DCCA with comments in person.

Chair Loewen, vice chair Peruso, members of the committee, Michael Angelo, executive director of the division of consumer advocacy. We stand on our testimony providing comments if you have questions.

Thank you. Next, we have PUC with comments in person.

Chair, vice chair, members of the committee, I am have some time with the PUC. We sent out a written testimony about the questions. Thank you.

Oh, oh, I see energy office with comments in person. Not present. We also have testimony in support from Climate Protectors Hawaii, Imua Alliance, testimony in opposition from Jira Americas, testimony with comments from three fifty Hawaii, Green Peace Hawaii, and Earthjustice. Actually, I have Green Peace signed up to testify. Are they on Zoom?

Hey. Morning. Morning. Sorry

about my phone. Dave Mollocks here with Greenpeace Hawaii. We are very concerned about, basically, LNG is worse than, than coal for pollution. And, I don't know if you heard, but the World Meteorological Organization report on Earth Energy Imbalance and Climate Change is not just increasing, it is accelerating due to the burning of fossil fuels, which includes LNG, which is creating hotter summers, colder winters, larger hurricanes. And we've just seen Lahaina fires, recent flooding, on, in Hawaii and houses falling into our ocean. So it's affecting us right here in Hawaii. The scientists are saying the time for half measures is over. The choice we make the next decade will determine whether future generations inherit a manageable climate or a world plunged into chaos. The US secretary general, I think, has said it the best. He said, we are in a fight for our lives, and we are losing.

Greenhouse gas emissions keep growing. Global rising. Our planet is fast approaching tipping points, and we will make climate chaos irreversible. We are on a high we are on the highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator. For Hawaii to invest in LNG is, as part of our energy mix, would be the equivalent to us putting our foot on accelerator to climate hell.

So the thing is, it's very important that, LNG does not come to Hawaii, and we already know. We've got we just had a great, hearing yesterday and, just pointing out how bad an idea this is. So thank you so much for for, hearing this testimony. Have a really good day.

Thank you. Finally, we have earth Justice, with comments on Zoom.

Aloha. Good morning, chair, vice chair, members of the committee, and congratulations on on reaching your last hearing of the session. Isaac Moriwaki, for justice. We we stand on our comments and actually maybe more accurately described as support of the intent. And along those lines, we we did offer amendments to amend the, the language of the resolution more back to its original form and its intent for the the committee's consideration.

Thank you, and I'm I'm available for any questions.

Thank you. Is there anyone else in the room around Zoom who would like to testify on this measure? Seeing none, members, any questions? If not, we will move on to our final item, SCR 172 s d one, requesting the PUC to conduct a comprehensive analysis on the best path to maximize cost reduction and minimize financial risk to Hawaii residents while meeting state state goals. So first to testify, we have the Hawaii State Energy Office with comments in person.

Again, not present. And we have DCCA, with comments.

Chair, vice chair, committee members, stand on our testimony providing comments available for questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone else who wishes to testify on this measure? Sorry, I think the PUC is in there. Oh, I did not see PUC. Oh, my apologies.

Sorry. Final page. PUC, you're up next.

Thank you, Mahalo. Good morning and, aloha, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Happy last hearing of session day. That's exciting. Ashley Norman on behalf of the PUC, they'll vote for any questions. Mahalo. Thank you.

Earthjustice in support on Zoom.

Aloha again. Isaac Moriwaki from Earthjustice standing on our written testimony in support. We did offer friendly amendments in our written testimony to ensure that this contemplated study and analyses end up being the best it can be, particularly if we're gonna be spending substantial time and resources in producing these analyses. Available for any questions, that the, committee might may have. Mahalo.

Thank you. Those have testimony and support from Climate Projectors Hawaii. Anyone else who wishes to customize this measure? Seeing none, members, any questions? Seeing none.

Are we ready? Oh, no.

Okay. Okay. We're gonna actually just move straight into decision making then. My god. Just sitting right here.

Okay. I'm ready. So on the first measure, SCR 142, chair's recommendation is to defer this measure because as testimony pointed out, there is already existing regulatory framework. So that's my recommendation. Is there are there any objections to that?

Seeing none, we're gonna move on to SCR 39, the mattress stewardship resolution. I'd like to recommend that we pass it out as is. Question, comments? Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Alright. We are voting on SCR 39 SD one. Recommendation is to pass unamended. Chair and vice chair vote aye. Rep Chun?

Aye. Rep Kahalala? Aye. Rep Kush?

Aye.

Rep Quinlan is excused. And rep Matsumoto? Aye.

Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you.

SCR 40, Body Boards also recommending to the committee that we pass it out as is. Questions, concerns? Seeing none.

Alright. Chair for the vote.

Right. We are voting on SCR 40 recommendation to pass unamended, noting all members present except Rep. Quinlan. Are there any no's or reservations?

Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

Thank you. SCR 40. Oh, sorry. Not SCR 40.

SCR 83, regarding the a facility to discard lithium ion batteries. I'm also gonna recommend that we pass it out as is. Questions or concerns? Seeing none, Chair for the vote.

Alright. Voting on SCR 83 recommendation to pass unamended. Noting Rep Quinlan excused. Any notes or reservations?

Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

On SCR 168, I'm gonna accept, OPSD's requested amendments with regards to the constitution of the working group. And I also, would like to make this a finite working group, not a permanent working group. So with a period of two years, and asking them to submit a a report to the legislature annually, due twenty days prior to the beginning of session. Any questions or concerns?

Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Alright. Voting on SCR 168, recommendation to pass with amendments, noting that Rep. Quinlan is excused.

that Quinlan excused. Any nos or reservations? Seeing none, recommendation adopted. Thank you. On SCR 96, the Electric Reliability administrator, recommending them to pass that out as is.

Questions, concerns? Seeing none, Chair for the vote.

Alright. We are voting on SCR 96. Recommendation is to pass unamended. Noting Rep Quinlan excused. Any nos or reservations?

Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

On SCR 166 SD 1, my recommendation will be to pass this out as is, while I really recommend I really appreciate the request to strengthen the resolution, we're gonna move it out as is, if that's if there are no objections. Chair for the roll.

Alright. We are going on SCR 166. Recommendation is to pass unamended. Noting Rep Quinlan. excused. Any no's or reservations?

Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

Our final measure, SCR 172 SD1 on the comprehensive analysis. I will be accepting it or I recommend that we accept the requested amendments from Earthjustice and otherwise passing it out as is.

Alright. We are voting on SCR 172 SD 1. Recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair and vice chair vote aye. Noting Rep. Quinlan excused.

Any no's or reservations?

Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

And that's it. We are adjourned.