THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
1336
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE GREENHOUSE GAS SEQUESTRATION TASK FORCE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 201-12.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
"(b) Subject to legislative appropriation, moneys from the fund may be expended by the Hawaii state energy office for the following purposes and used for no other purposes, except for those set forth in this section:
(1) To support the Hawaii clean energy initiative program and projects that promote and advance dependable and affordable energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy self-sufficiency, and greater energy security and resiliency for the State and public facilities;
(2) To fund, to the extent possible, the climate change mitigation and adaptation commission [[Struck through: and the greenhouse gas sequestration task force]];
(3) To support achieving the zero emissions clean economy target set forth in section 225P-5;
(4) To fund projects and incentives to promote the adoption of clean transportation technologies, develop clean vehicle charging infrastructure, and upgrade infrastructure to support the development of clean vehicle charging infrastructure; and
(5) To fund, to the extent possible, the duties of the state building code council in section 107-24, as they relate to the development of energy conservation codes."
SECTION 2. Section 225P-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.
["[Struck through: §225P-4 Greenhouse gas sequestration task force.] [Struck through: (a) The greenhouse gas sequestration task force is established within the office of planning and sustainable development for administrative purposes only. The task force shall have the following objectives:]
[Struck through: (1)] [Struck through: Work with public and private stakeholders to establish a baseline for greenhouse gas emissions within Hawaii and short- and long-term benchmarks for increasing greenhouse gas sequestration in the State's agricultural and natural environment;]
[Struck through: (2)] [Struck through: Identify appropriate criteria to measure baseline levels and increases in greenhouse gas sequestration, improvements in soil health, increases in agricultural and aquacultural product yield and quality attributable to greenhouse gas sequestration and improvements in soil health, and other key indicators of greenhouse gas benefits from beneficial agricultural and aquacultural practices that may be used to create a certification program for promoting agricultural and aquacultural practices that generate greenhouse gas benefits and agricultural and aquacultural production benefits;]
[Struck through: (3)] [Struck through: Identify land and marine use policies, agricultural policies, agroforestry policies, and mitigation options that would encourage agricultural and aquacultural practices and land use practices that would promote increased greenhouse gas sequestration, build healthy soils, and provide greenhouse gas benefits;]
[Struck through: (4)] [Struck through: Identify ways to increase the generation and use of compost in Hawaii to build healthy soils;]
[Struck through: (5)] [Struck through: Identify practices and policies that add trees or vegetation to expand the urban tree canopy in urban areas to reduce ambient temperatures, increase climate resiliency, and improve greenhouse gas sequestration in Hawaii; and]
[Struck through: (6)] [Struck through: Make recommendations to the legislature and governor regarding measures that would increase climate resiliency, build healthy soils, provide greenhouse gas benefits, or cool urban areas.]
[Struck through: (b) In addition to the objectives listed in subsection (a), the task force may consider:]
[Struck through: (1)] [Struck through: Developing incentives and funding mechanisms for these incentives, including but not limited to:]
[Struck through: (A)] [Struck through: Loans, tax credits, or grants;]
[Struck through: (B)] [Struck through: Research;]
[Struck through: (C)] [Struck through: Technical assistance; or]
[Struck through: (D)] [Struck through: Educational materials and outreach,]
[Struck through: to participating agricultural activities, aquacultural activities, or on-farm demonstration projects that are identified and approved by the task force as those that would promote greenhouse gas benefits, build healthy soils, sequester carbon, increase water-holding capacity, and increase crop yields; and]
[Struck through: (2)] [Struck through: Providing for research, education, and technical support for agricultural activities and aquacultural activities identified by the task force.]
[Struck through: (c) The membership of the greenhouse gas sequestration task force shall be as follows:]
[Struck through: (1)] [Struck through: The director of the office of planning and sustainable development or the director's designee, who shall serve as chairperson;]
[Struck through: (2)] [Struck through: The chairperson of the board of agriculture or the chairperson's designee;]
[Struck through: (3)] [Struck through: The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources or the chairperson's designee;]
[Struck through: (4)] [Struck through: The director of transportation or the director's designee;]
[Struck through: (5)] [Struck through: The deputy director of the department of health's environmental health administration or the deputy director's designee;]
[Struck through: (6)] [Struck through: The state sustainability coordinator;]
[Struck through: (7)] [Struck through: The director of the environmental law program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson school of law;]
[Struck through: (8)] [Struck through: The administrator of the division of forestry and wildlife within the department of land and natural resources or the administrator's designee;]
[Struck through: (9)] [Struck through: One member who is also a member of the climate change mitigation and adaptation commission;]
[Struck through: (10)] [Struck through: One researcher from the college of tropical agriculture and human resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa;]
[Struck through: (11)] [Struck through: One extension agent from the college of tropical agriculture and human resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa;]
[Struck through: (12)] [Struck through: Four members, one each to be appointed by the respective mayors of the city and county of Honolulu, and the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui; and]
[Struck through: (13)] [Struck through: Four members to be jointly selected and invited to participate by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, of which two members shall be selected from an environmental nonprofit organization, and two members shall be selected from an agricultural or ranching association.]
[Struck through: Task force members may recommend to the task force additional members with appropriate specialized expertise, subject to approval by the chairperson.]
[Struck through: (d) Members of the task force shall be nominated and appointed pursuant to, and subject to section 26-34 and shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses necessary for the performance of their duties, including travel expenses.]
[Struck through: (e) The greenhouse gas sequestration task force shall:]
[Struck through: (1)] [Struck through: Submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature and the climate change mitigation and adaptation commission no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023; provided that the preliminary report shall discuss the objectives and issues listed in subsections (a) and (b), including the following:]
[Struck through: (A)] [Struck through: Types of agricultural and aquacultural practices, public land and marine use policies, and on-farm managing practices][Struck through: that would provide greenhouse gas benefits and result in tangible economic benefits to agricultural and aquacultural operations;]
[Struck through: (B)] [Struck through: Short-term and long-term benchmarks that would indicate how effectively agricultural and aquacultural activities have been helping the State to reach greenhouse gas neutrality;]
[Struck through: (C)] [Struck through: Appropriate criteria that may be used in a certification program to measure baseline levels and increases in carbon sequestration, improvements in soil health, and other key indicators of greenhouse gas benefits from beneficial agricultural and aquacultural practices;]
[Struck through: (D)] [Struck through: Types of incentives, grants, research, and assistance][Struck through: that would promote:]
[Struck through: (i)] [Struck through: Agricultural and aquacultural practices to produce greenhouse gas benefits; and]
[Struck through: (ii)] [Struck through: Land and marine use policies and agricultural policies that would encourage agricultural, aquacultural, and land use practices to provide greenhouse gas benefits and result in tangible economic benefits to agricultural and aquacultural operations; and]
[Struck through: (E)] [Struck through: Practices and policies that add trees or vegetation to expand the urban tree canopy in urban areas to reduce ambient temperatures and increase climate resiliency and improve greenhouse gas sequestration in Hawaii; and]
[Struck through: (2)] [Struck through: Beginning with the regular session of 2024, submit an annual report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature and the climate change mitigation and adaptation commission no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session.]
[Struck through: (f) The office of planning and sustainable development shall provide administrative and clerical support required by the task force.]"][Struck through: ]
SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
BY REQUEST
Report Title:
Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force; Repeal
Description:
Repeals the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.