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Committee defers resolution to convene working group on subsidizing waterborne cargo transport
Summary
SCR 150, directing DOT to convene a working group to recommend federal, state and county programs to subsidize waterborne cargo transport, was deferred for decision making so DOT can propose narrower working-group membership and amendments.
The Senate Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts deferred Senate Concurrent Resolution 150, which requests the Department of Transportation to convene a working group to develop and recommend programs at federal, state and county levels to subsidize transport of waterborne cargo.
Drea Khalili, deputy director for Harbors at the Department of Transportation, testified in support and asked the committee to consider reducing the size of the working group to facilitate timely completion and reporting to the legislature. Representatives of Young Brothers and the Hawaii Food Industry Association also testified in support and offered assistance.
Why it matters: Hawai‘i relies on waterborne cargo for interisland and interstate supply chains; the working group would identify subsidy programs and recommend how federal, state and county resources could be used to lower transport costs.
The committee deferred the measure to the decision-making meeting on Tuesday, April 1 at 3:02 p.m. to consider DOT’s suggested amendments narrowing the working group and to allow the department to return with proposed language that can be reported to the legislature within the requested timeframe.
