THE SENATE S.C.R. NO. 99 THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 S.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION requesting the PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO ADDRESS CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UNDERGROUNDING THE STATE'S UTILITY FACILITIES as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines".
THE SENATE S.C.R. NO. 99
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
THE SENATE
S.C.R. NO.
99
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
requesting the PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO ADDRESS CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UNDERGROUNDING THE STATE'S UTILITY FACILITIES as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines".
WHEREAS, undergrounding entails replacing overhead electric and telecommunication cables and facilities with underground cables and equipment; and WHEREAS, there is widespread community interest in undergrounding the State's utility facilities to enhance scenic views, address public health concerns, reduce the risk of wind damage, and increase system reliability, among other benefits; and WHEREAS, the advantages of undergrounding were illustrated in 1992, when Hurricane Iniki downed more than five thousand utility lines and poles on the island of Kauai, leaving more than 14,350 homes without power; and WHEREAS, there are also disadvantages to undergrounding, and all facets of the issue should be considered; and WHEREAS, in 1999, the Legislative Reference Bureau studied the feasibility of undergrounding the State's utility facilities in a report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines"; and WHEREAS, the report outlined several recommendations in evaluating whether utility lines should be underground and the conversion of existing overhead to underground lines, which include: (1) Requiring the Public Utilities Commission to value the aesthetic benefit of the natural landscape of residential and conservation zoned areas above all else; (2) Requiring the Consumer Advocate to develop measures to quantify the benefits of undergrounding utility lines; and (3) Requiring the Public Utilities Commission to establish a program that provides a tax incentive or a cost share financing mechanism for the undergrounding of utility lines; and WHEREAS, although not all the recommendations for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines" were legislatively adopted, the Public Utilities Commission still possesses the authority as it did in 1999 to mandate the undergrounding of utility lines; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to address certain recommendations for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines"; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to adopt the recommendations for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023 to addresses its reasons for not adopting each recommendation for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission. Report Title: Undergrounding; PUC; Public Utilities Commission
WHEREAS, undergrounding entails replacing overhead electric and telecommunication cables and facilities with underground cables and equipment; and
WHEREAS, there is widespread community interest in undergrounding the State's utility facilities to enhance scenic views, address public health concerns, reduce the risk of wind damage, and increase system reliability, among other benefits; and
WHEREAS, the advantages of undergrounding were illustrated in 1992, when Hurricane Iniki downed more than five thousand utility lines and poles on the island of Kauai, leaving more than 14,350 homes without power; and
WHEREAS, there are also disadvantages to undergrounding, and all facets of the issue should be considered; and
WHEREAS, in 1999, the Legislative Reference Bureau studied the feasibility of undergrounding the State's utility facilities in a report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines"; and
WHEREAS, the report outlined several recommendations in evaluating whether utility lines should be underground and the conversion of existing overhead to underground lines, which include:
(1) Requiring the Public Utilities Commission to value the aesthetic benefit of the natural landscape of residential and conservation zoned areas above all else;
(2) Requiring the Consumer Advocate to develop measures to quantify the benefits of undergrounding utility lines; and
(3) Requiring the Public Utilities Commission to establish a program that provides a tax incentive or a cost share financing mechanism for the undergrounding of utility lines; and
WHEREAS, although not all the recommendations for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines" were legislatively adopted, the Public Utilities Commission still possesses the authority as it did in 1999 to mandate the undergrounding of utility lines; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to address certain recommendations for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report entitled "Undergrounding Public Utility Lines"; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to adopt the recommendations for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023 to addresses its reasons for not adopting each recommendation for undergrounding the State's utility facilities as outlined in the 1999 Legislative Reference Bureau report; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission.
Report Title:
Undergrounding; PUC; Public Utilities Commission