STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 3 2024
RE: S.R. No. 115
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was
referred S.R. No. 115 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING EVERY STATE AGENCY THAT MONITORS
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS AND POLLUTANTS TO FOLLOW CERTAIN
PROCEDURAL AND SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT
AND MODIFICATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION LEVELS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge every state
agency that monitors environmental toxins and pollutants to:
(1) Follow certain procedural and substantive requirements
for the establishment and modification of environmental
action levels (EALs);
(2) Allow any resident of the State to petition for
modifications of one or more EALs or similar triggering
mechanisms for environmental toxins and pollutants
monitored by the state agency; and
(3) Promptly respond to a petition to modify an EAL in the
manner provided by chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i
and one individual.
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Page 2
Your Committee finds that the use of environmental action
levels (EALs) can be beneficial for monitoring and regulating
environmental pollution. However, because there is currently no
standardized or formal process for the establishment or amendment
for EALs in the State, some state agencies that use EALs have been
known to arbitrarily raise, or in some cases lower, an EAL without
sufficient public notice or scientific justification. This
measure supports the health of the public and the environment by
urging the adoption of certain procedural and substantive
requirements to provide transparency and accountability for any
establishment and revision of EALs in the State.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
No. 115 and recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Agriculture and
Environment,
MIKE GABBARD, Chair
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 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawaii
Record of Votes
Committee on Agriculture and Environment
AEN
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral:
"1/27^7
US
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to: ________________________________________________
The Recommendation is:
Pass, unamended Pass, with amendments Hold Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
GABBARD, Mike (C)
J^x*****
RICHARDS. Ill, Herbert M. “Tim” (VC)
DECOITE, Lynn
RHOADS. Karl
AWA. Brenton
3
TOTAL
Recommendation:
Adopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signature:
Distribution; Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/27/23