Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SR83 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	THE SENATE S.R. NO. 83 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH and University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center TO TAKE ALL ACTION NECESSARY to incentivize WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTs TO TEST SEWAGE SLUDGE, reclaimed water, AND ANY OTHER RESIDUAL MATERIAL FOR THE PRESENCE OF PERFLUOROALKYL AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES.
2	2
3	3	THE SENATE S.R. NO. 83
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
6	6
7	7	THE SENATE
8	8
9	9	S.R. NO.
10	10
11	11	83
12	12
13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
14	14
15	15
16	16
17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
18	18
19	19
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29	SENATE RESOLUTION
30	30
31	31
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35	URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH and University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center TO TAKE ALL ACTION NECESSARY to incentivize WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTs TO TEST SEWAGE SLUDGE, reclaimed water, AND ANY OTHER RESIDUAL MATERIAL FOR THE PRESENCE OF PERFLUOROALKYL AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES.
36	36
37	37
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41	WHEREAS, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large category of pollutants known as "forever chemicals" because they do not degrade; and WHEREAS, some PFAS chemicals have been found to pose a wide range of health risks, even at very low dosages; and WHEREAS, PFAS have been found in wastewater treatment plant sludge (biosolids) and reclaimed water in the State; and WHEREAS, PFAS-contaminated biosolids used as fertilizer and reclaimed water used for irrigation may directly impact crops and soil by introducing PFAS into the food chain and adversely affecting both the environment and human health when consumed; and WHEREAS, consuming PFAS-contaminated produce may pose a wide range of health risks, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers, liver disease, endocrine disruption, and other serious health issues; and WHEREAS, consuming PFAS-contaminated produce can harm reproductive and immune systems and affect reproductive health by decreasing fertility and causing high blood pressure in pregnant women; and WHEREAS, a pregnant woman consuming PFAS-contaminated produce during critical fetal development stages can impact the long-term health of the child by causing developmental delays, low birth weight, accelerated puberty, and behavioral changes; and WHEREAS, biosolids used as fertilizer that contain PFAS and other harmful substances can affect crop quality and safety, and harm aquatic ecosystems; and WHEREAS, PFAS can enter food chains and result in biomagnification, affecting aquatic fauna, insects, amphibians, fish, and seafood; and WHEREAS, regular testing and monitoring at wastewater treatment plants is necessary to mitigate land application of biosolids or reclaimed water containing PFAS and to prevent PFAS exposure and protect public health; and WHEREAS, the production of biosolids and reclaimed water for landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation, industrial processes, and other non-drinking water applications is subject to regulation and approval by the Department of Health; and WHEREAS, wastewater treatment facilities that sell or supply biosolids or reclaimed water to agricultural farms for fertilization or irrigation should be required to test the biosolids and reclaimed water for the presence of PFAS and allow for appropriate management and mitigation measures for the safety of consumers, farmers, and the environment; and WHEREAS, despite the Department of Health and Honolulu Board of Water Supply's active testing of drinking water wells for PFAS, forever chemicals have been detected in the State's soil, groundwater, and drinking water, demonstrating the need for water purveyors, the military, and other government agencies to test for PFAS; and WHEREAS, in April 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency finalized rules that will require public water systems to monitor for some PFAS and take action if levels exceed maximum contaminant levels, and on Oahu, the Department of Health has reported the detection of PFAS in several communities' drinking water, including Kunia and Waipio, where PFAS levels were detected far above what the federal government considers safe; and WHEREAS, requiring monitoring for PFAS at wastewater treatment plants consistent with environmental regulations and public health guidelines demonstrates responsible management of wastewater facilities by the Department of Health; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Health and University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center are urged to take all action necessary, within their respective authorities and expertise, to incentivize wastewater treatment plants in the State to test sewage sludge, reclaimed water, and any other residual material for the presence of PFAS; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is urged to adopt administrative rules for the safe disposal and sequestration of sewage sludge, reclaimed water, and other residual material that contain any amount of PFAS; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is urged to prohibit the issuance or renewal of permits for the use of sewage sludge, reclaimed water, or other residual material on land used for agronomic purposes, where drainage tiles have been installed, that drains into the waters of the State, or in a five-hundred-year floodplain if testing yields any amount of PFAS; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is urged to support the Department of Health's actions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, and Director of the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: Department of Health; University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center; PFAS; Wastewater Treatment Plants; Testing; Sewage Sludge; Reclaimed Water; Residual Material; Rules; Permits
42	42
43	43	WHEREAS, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large category of pollutants known as "forever chemicals" because they do not degrade; and
44	44
45	45
46	46
47	47	WHEREAS, some PFAS chemicals have been found to pose a wide range of health risks, even at very low dosages; and
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	WHEREAS, PFAS have been found in wastewater treatment plant sludge (biosolids) and reclaimed water in the State; and
52	52
53	53
54	54
55	55	WHEREAS, PFAS-contaminated biosolids used as fertilizer and reclaimed water used for irrigation may directly impact crops and soil by introducing PFAS into the food chain and adversely affecting both the environment and human health when consumed; and
56	56
57	57
58	58
59	59	WHEREAS, consuming PFAS-contaminated produce may pose a wide range of health risks, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers, liver disease, endocrine disruption, and other serious health issues; and
60	60
61	61
62	62
63	63	WHEREAS, consuming PFAS-contaminated produce can harm reproductive and immune systems and affect reproductive health by decreasing fertility and causing high blood pressure in pregnant women; and
64	64
65	65
66	66
67	67	WHEREAS, a pregnant woman consuming PFAS-contaminated produce during critical fetal development stages can impact the long-term health of the child by causing developmental delays, low birth weight, accelerated puberty, and behavioral changes; and
68	68
69	69
70	70
71	71	WHEREAS, biosolids used as fertilizer that contain PFAS and other harmful substances can affect crop quality and safety, and harm aquatic ecosystems; and
72	72
73	73
74	74
75	75	WHEREAS, PFAS can enter food chains and result in biomagnification, affecting aquatic fauna, insects, amphibians, fish, and seafood; and
76	76
77	77
78	78
79	79	WHEREAS, regular testing and monitoring at wastewater treatment plants is necessary to mitigate land application of biosolids or reclaimed water containing PFAS and to prevent PFAS exposure and protect public health; and
80	80
81	81
82	82
83	83	WHEREAS, the production of biosolids and reclaimed water for landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation, industrial processes, and other non-drinking water applications is subject to regulation and approval by the Department of Health; and
84	84
85	85
86	86
87	87	WHEREAS, wastewater treatment facilities that sell or supply biosolids or reclaimed water to agricultural farms for fertilization or irrigation should be required to test the biosolids and reclaimed water for the presence of PFAS and allow for appropriate management and mitigation measures for the safety of consumers, farmers, and the environment; and
88	88
89	89
90	90
91	91	WHEREAS, despite the Department of Health and Honolulu Board of Water Supply's active testing of drinking water wells for PFAS, forever chemicals have been detected in the State's soil, groundwater, and drinking water, demonstrating the need for water purveyors, the military, and other government agencies to test for PFAS; and
92	92
93	93
94	94
95	95	WHEREAS, in April 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency finalized rules that will require public water systems to monitor for some PFAS and take action if levels exceed maximum contaminant levels, and on Oahu, the Department of Health has reported the detection of PFAS in several communities' drinking water, including Kunia and Waipio, where PFAS levels were detected far above what the federal government considers safe; and
96	96
97	97
98	98
99	99	WHEREAS, requiring monitoring for PFAS at wastewater treatment plants consistent with environmental regulations and public health guidelines demonstrates responsible management of wastewater facilities by the Department of Health; now, therefore,
100	100
101	101
102	102
103	103	BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Health and University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center are urged to take all action necessary, within their respective authorities and expertise, to incentivize wastewater treatment plants in the State to test sewage sludge, reclaimed water, and any other residual material for the presence of PFAS; and
104	104
105	105
106	106
107	107	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is urged to adopt administrative rules for the safe disposal and sequestration of sewage sludge, reclaimed water, and other residual material that contain any amount of PFAS; and
108	108
109	109
110	110
111	111	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is urged to prohibit the issuance or renewal of permits for the use of sewage sludge, reclaimed water, or other residual material on land used for agronomic purposes, where drainage tiles have been installed, that drains into the waters of the State, or in a five-hundred-year floodplain if testing yields any amount of PFAS; and
112	112
113	113
114	114
115	115	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is urged to support the Department of Health's actions; and
116	116
117	117
118	118
119	119	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, and Director of the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center.
120	120
121	121
122	122
123	123	OFFERED BY: _____________________________
124	124
125	125
126	126
127	127	OFFERED BY:
128	128
129	129	_____________________________
130	130
131	131
132	132
133	133
134	134
135	135
136	136
137	137
138	138
139	139
140	140
141	141
142	142
143	143
144	144
145	145
146	146
147	147
148	148
149	149
150	150
151	151
152	152
153	153
154	154
155	155
156	156
157	157
158	158
159	159
160	160
161	161
162	162
163	163
164	164
165	165
166	166
167	167
168	168
169	169
170	170
171	171
172	172
173	173
174	174
175	175
176	176
177	177
178	178
179	179
180	180
181	181
182	182
183	183
184	184
185	185	Report Title:
186	186
187	187	Department of Health; University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center; PFAS; Wastewater Treatment Plants; Testing; Sewage Sludge; Reclaimed Water; Residual Material; Rules; Permits