Bill Text: HI HB538 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Roadway Particulate Pollution

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [HB538 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-HB538-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  11

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 538

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 538 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the health and safety of Hawaii's people as well as Hawaii's precious environment by requiring all motor vehicles to be equipped with road pollution filters as a condition of receiving a certificate of inspection.

 

     Numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Transportation, Hawaii Transportation Association, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and a concerned individual testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu provided comments.

 

     Pollution is a problem faced by many communities around the world.  However, pollution takes many forms and one often overlooked form of pollution is that of fine particles.  Fine particle pollution consists of minute airborne particles, often containing metals and other toxins that are the main ingredient of haze.  One of the main sources of this type of pollution, generally invisible to the naked eye, is the release of materials from tire wear, brake wear, road materials, and exhaust emissions for motorized vehicles.  Though generally unnoticed, fine particle pollution affects air quality and can pose a serious health risk.  Fine particle pollution also has an environmental impact as particles may be washed from the roadways into water supplies and the ocean via storm drain runoff.

 

     Your Committee understands the concerns raised that information on the wheel well pollution filtration devices provided for in this measure is not readily available and that many questions still need to be answered regarding these filters including their installation, life expectancy, cost, use, and proper disposal.  Nevertheless, your Committee finds that these questions and concerns can be addressed as the measure makes its way through the legislative process and that this measure deserves further consideration.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by changing its effective date to July 1, 2015, to encourage further discussion.

 

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 538, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 538, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

 

		____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair