Senate committees advance multiple environment and water bills, including accelerated cesspool conversion and Red Hill cleanup standards

At a joint 1 p.m. hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, senators advanced a package of environment and water bills and took action on multiple measures addressing cesspools, the Red Hill fuel facility, water testing, extended producer responsibility and recycling programs.

The most debated topic was legislation on cesspool conversion. Supporters, including Ted Bohlen of the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, told the committee the bills target the state’s largest source of water pollution. “This is a big bill with a big purpose,” Bohlen said during testimony, adding concern that conversions so far amount to only “a couple hundred a year” while the state needs thousands annually. The committee accepted amendments on several cesspool bills that move up conversion deadlines or add implementation language and requested Department of Health (DOH) staffing and appropriation details be recorded in the committee reports.

DOH and other agency witnesses repeatedly urged the committee to specify funding and staffing details. Department of Health staff identified positions they say are needed for grants review and program implementation; committee members noted the bills will include requests for permanent engineering positions and accounting support. As the DOH witness put it during…