HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN CRNRMC 2022/05/17 2020-2022 Committee on Climate Resilience and
Natural Resource Management
3`'d Session
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawai i
May 17, 2022
CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Climate Resilience and Natural
ORDER: Resource Management was called to order at 1:16 p.m., in the Council
Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Chair.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member, Chair
Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Vice Chair
Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member
Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member
Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member
Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member
Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz
Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member (came in later)
Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member
STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items.
PUBLIC ON
AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when
called by the Chair:
Deborah Ward: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), comment.
Cindi (Kennedy) Punihaole: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), comment.
Kelly King: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), comment.
Maki Morinoue: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), comment.
Joe DiNardo: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), comment.
Ted Bohlen: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), comment.
Heather Howard: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), in support.
Paul Badgley: Bill 167 (Comm. 771), in support.
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CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. And with the
interest of being able to speak a little more during today's committee meeting, I'm
very grateful for Vice Chair Heather Kimball, who has agreed to take over
Chairing the meeting in order to provide the opportunity for myself to have freer
conversation, as I am the co-introducer of this piece of legislation.
Relinquish Chair: At this time, the Chair relinquished the chair to Vice Chair Kimball.
ACTING CHRKIMBALL: Thank you, Chair Villegas. And let the record
reflect that I have assumed the Chair. And since there is no further public
testimony, we'll close public testimony at this time. Mr. Clerk to the agenda,
please.
BILLS FOR The Acting Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business,
ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances.
Bill 167: AMENDS CHAPTER 14 OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983
(2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY ADDING A NEW ARTICLE
RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION OF NON-MINERAL SUNSCREEN
Prohibits the sale and distribution of non-mineral sunscreen, unless prescribed
by a licensed healthcare provider, beginning December 1, 2022.
Reference: Comm. 771
Intr. by: Mr. Inaba and Ms. Villegas
Motion to Approve: Mr. Inaba moved to recommend passage of Bill 167 on
first reading. Seconded by Ms. Villegas.
ACTING CHRKIMBALL: Council Member Inaba.
MR. INABA: Thank you, Chair. Just as a background, back in 2018, the
Legislature passed the bill that banned sunscreens containing two ingredients.
And at that time, oxybenzone and octinoxate. At that time, they also banned
counties from enacting separate ordinances till after January 2021.
So as we heard earlier, Maui County did pass a bill similar to what we're seeing
today. In fact, a lot of the structure and language is borrowed exactly from Mau i
County. And what we really are trying to do here is allow for only those two safe
ingredients, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to be sold, distributed or provided
here in our County.
The bill, as you can see at the end would if passed go into effect, December 1,
2022, giving—whether it be hotels or other businesses ample time to inform
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guests, visitors, as well as anything off their shelves and return those items to their
suppliers prior to enactment of this ordinance.
You know, it's kind of funny that this bill had come to play, because in Kona,
there's a school, Innovations Public Charter School, and they had written letters, I
believe, to the Kona Council Members with pictures and requesting the
introduction of an ordinance similar to what we're seeing today. And as a result
of that request, we were able to look to Maui and put something together that we
thought would be good for our environment; brought forth and even supported by
our kids. As there are over 200 testimonies that we received via email, a lot of
them being from schools. Some at Innovations; some at Ke Kula `o
`Ehunuikaimalino in Kona.
So, I think it's just this really good opportunity that it was community driven,
community supported. And this bill can only do good not bad for our oceans and
for ourselves as well. So I'll leave it at that in case Council Member Villegas has
anything to share.
ACTING CHR.KIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Inaba. Council
Member Villegas.
MS. VILLEGAS: Yes, thank you so much, Council Member Inaba. It's been
wonderful working on this with you. I want to say a huge mahalo to Cindi
(Kennedy) Punihaole and her relentless passion for getting a piece of legislation
like this passed. And the timing that's now been provided based on the State
Legislation and for the leadership of Maui County.
Just in reference to what Mr. Inaba said, back in January, the students of
Innovations Public Charter School put forth some letters encouraging us to bring
forth legislation like this. And just really quickly, I mean, there are 40 of these
letters. And with them, there was a little bit of remorse afterwards realizing that
these could have been presented as public testimony. Perhaps we could do that
afterwards.
But I just want to point out the artwork that's been so detailed, so consciously
created by these students that shows their understanding of what our reef
ecosystems look like when they're protected and when they're exposed to harmful
chemicals.
To me this is really powerful and impactful. So many of the things that we talk
about here on the Council are taking into consideration the future of our children,
and the land and the resources that we will be leaving them. I also think that this
piece of legislation is in alignment with the Administration's vision in having
hosted environmental summits, sustainability summits and doing the TED talks.
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I think this is an opportunity for our County to make those legal and legislative
steps to codifying our belief systems and the things we talk about. I also think
and believe that this piece of legislation is in alignment with the `Rina Aloha
Economic Futures, which is a resolution that we passed as a body in the last term.
It's in complete alignment with protecting our cultural and environmental, and our
coral reef ecosystems as an economic resource.
Unfortunately, the term "reef-safe" has become a marketing term for
greenwashing. That does not necessarily mean that a product is safe for our
corals. But going with a piece of legislation and instead of saying what you can't
use, and instead saying what you can use. And unless the sunscreen contains just
these two ingredients, then retailers aren't to sell it.
I had the opportunity to travel to Maui and be present for the blessing and the
unveiling of the first mineral sunscreen dispenser at a State facility there, and its
reception from the visitors was fantastic. They were so excited to be able to
utilize a resource that they knew would not be harming the ecosystem that they
were then going to enjoy, and learn about, and educate themselves about.
So why we are putting in the Department of Environmental Management? I see
Ramzi has joined us. Thank you for being here, Ramzi. We had the opportunity
to go round and round in trying to figure out where was the best place for this to
land. Unfortunately, our County unlike Maui County does not yet have a
Division of Environmental Protection and Sustainability which resides in their
Department of Environmental Management.
However, after having lengthy discussions, both with LRB (Legislative Research
Branch) and Corporation Counsel and DEM (Department of Environmental
Management and Research and Development, we decided that this is still the best
landing place for this piece of legislation. And as a testifier mentioned earlier and
what we have found in our other conversations, is enforcement is not this—we
don't need a whole taskforce to enforce this.
When a law like this hits the books,predominantly, all of the retailers are going to
fall in line and abide. So many of them already have. Major sunscreen producers
and companies really already know this is coming and they are creating products
that meet this need and abide by these constraints for what would be healthiest for
our coral reefs, for our skin, and for the future of our ocean ecosystems.
I am hoping that Mr. Mansour will provide his support. So with that I'll yield for
now to any questions from my colleagues, but I am hopeful for your support in
this piece of legislation today. I yield.
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ACTING CHRKIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Villegas. Director
Mansour, I'd like to give you the opportunity before we go to further discussion,
to make any comments or statements on the legislation before us.
(Note: At this time Environmental Management Director Ramzi Mansour
came forward to address the members of the Committee.)
MR. MANSOUR: Definitely. Aloha, Madam Chair and Committee Members.
The Department of Environmental Management shares your concerns about
healthy coral reefs, for sure; and along our shorelines. I appreciate the
opportunity to discuss the proposed Bill 167. DEM does have that already, to
take on Section 14-33 of this bill, Enforcement and Administration. But have
concerns, the bill cites that additional responsibility without identifying a funding
source to carry them out.
Therefore, DEM would like to understand more about how you are envisioning
this to work, knowingly that we are only setup to deal with environmental
management, solid waste, and wastewater, which also lacks the same challenges
and issues; aka, funding and staffing.
I look forward to your discussion. I'm not the expert on sunscreen chemical
ingredients, but we'll be more than happy to entertain any questions that you may
have. And I did have a discussion with Council Members Inaba and Villegas.
And definitely, you know, our goal is to make the reef and the shoreline safe for
everybody; the humans and the fish alike. So I look forward to the discussion, but
my major concern is really, how are we going to secure the funding and how this
program is going to be funded as well? Thank you.
ACTING CHRKIMBALL: Thank you, Director. Council Member Chung.
MR. CHUNG: Thank you. You know, first of all, let me lead off my just saying,
I think all of us want to do whatever we can to protect our ocean ecosystems,
particularly from the risk of coral bleaching. I mean, that's axiomatic already.
My question—and I want to credit Mr. Inaba for, you know, explaining the
statutory history of this. I also agree with Ms. Villegas, in that,this should be an
easy thing to enforce. I don't think that should be any problem, because we're
dealing with supply side types of legislation. So the retailers, you know, can't
distribute it. No problem.
What I have to know before I put my stamp of approval on this, is what is
titanium dioxide and zinc oxide? And the reason I ask that, is the State
Legislature, as Mr. Inaba pointed out, enacted a piece of legislation which took
effect in 2021. I'm kind of just doing the research right now. And it proscribed
the distribution, sale thereof of the oxybenzone and I hope I'm getting this
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correct, octinoxate, whatever. So those two things, okay. So those have been
prohibited since 2021.
What we're doing here is now, as Mr. Inaba pointed out, only allowing sunscreen
which contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. So what's in the middle? What
are we eliminating now? For example, I don't know much about sunscreen, but
obviously, there has to be some difference. So what's going on here?
MR. INABA: There are about 16 different types of active ingredients. So what
the bill does is just boil down to only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can be in
the sunscreens that are sold or distributed on this island. So it's still in line with
the State's. It doesn't disagree with the State, because the State is clear on those
active ingredients. What we go for further here is just boiling down what is
permissible here, and that is titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
MR. CHUNG: And the question I have is, why only those two?
MR. INABA: Those are the only two that have been considered GRASE, so it's
Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective by the FDA (Food and Drug
Administration).
MR. CHUNG: Because I really didn't hear anything from the public testimony or
even from, you know, either you or Mr. Villegas. So I'd like to know a little
more about this. You know, I'll vote to move this forward, because I think the
intent is certainly something that we all agree on. But I have to know a little bit
more about this.
And the other question I have, and I know you know I'm going to ask this
question, right? Is this preempted by State law? Now, we all know, you know, I
wasn't here; Maile wasn't here when the GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)
bill came up, right? And I think a more compelling argument could be made on
this one where you have a specific State Law relating to sunscreen.
The other one, the Appeals Court had to kind of concoct something. This one,
you have something specific in the law relating toI mean I could make an
argument both ways, but it says, "No County shall enact. . ." And this is kind of
weird. I don't know why they did this, but first of all let me go, "Beginning
January 1st, 2021, it shall be unlawful to sell, offer, or for sale, or distribute for
sale in the State, any sunscreen which contains the two "O's"." Yeah,
Oxybenzone and the other one, or both without a prescription issued by a licensed
healthcare provider. Okay, so that's out already, and only relates to those two
"O's".
Then B, don't ask me why they put something like this in here but, "No County
shall enact any ordinance or regulatory restriction to prohibit the sale; use,
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labeling, packaging, handling, distribution, or advertisement of sunscreens
containing the two "O's" on or prior to January 21." So after January 21, you
can. But is it allowed to go further than the two "O's"? That is the question that I
have.
As I said, I could make an argument both ways. One would be weaker than the
other, but I think this is something that I'd like to ask Corporation Counsel later
on when it gets to full Council. Maybe if you can kind of think about this thing, it
might be preempted. But at the same time, I would like to ask the makers if they
could provide a little bit more information, because I'd like to support it. You
know, anything, if it's practical. You know, it's definitely enforceable, no
question about that. I'm not even worried about it. I don't even think it's going
to cost the County too much. But I've got to know what I'm voting on. Yeah,
and that's all. Thank you.
MR. INABA: Chair, if I may respond?
ACTING CHRKIMBALL: Briefly, yes.
MR. INABA: Okay, yes, Council Member Chung, we'll get an attachment for
our next meeting. But these two that are in the bill are the only two ingredients
that are recognized by the FDA as generally recognized as safe and effective. So
that's the reason for those two. As for the other part with preemption by the State
law, we can hear from Corporation Counsel. She did review this bill. Thank you,
Chair.
ACTING CHRKIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Inaba. You had a brief
response to Council Member Chung?
MS. VILLEGAS: Yes, I did. Thank you Council Member Chung for those
questions. I do want to confirm, and it can be provided at Council, is a letter that
confirms that the preempting ended in January 2022 and Senator Gabbard states
that. So we can provide in the next in the next round.
I also wanted to point out for anybody watching also,that listed in the definitions,
we have the definition of titanium dioxide, which is a"Chemical titanium IV
oxide under the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry chemical
nomenclature registry, as a chemical abstract service registry number . . ." But it
goes through in here, "It is intended to be used as protection against ultraviolet
light radiation with a spectrum wavelength from 400 nanometers to 220
nanometers in an epidermal sunscreen-protection personal-care product."
"Zinc oxide means the chemical oxozinc under the International Union of Pure
and Applied Chemistry chemical nomenclature registry, has a chemical abstract
service registry number, and whose symbols include ZnO, zinc white, calamine,
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Chinese White, flowers of zinc, and zinc oxide, and is intended to be used as
protection against ultraviolet light radiation with a spectrum wavelength from 400
nanometers to 220 nanometers in an epidermal sunscreen-protection personal-care
product."
The reason this piece of legislation lists these two ingredients as the active
ingredients, and other legislation, one of the challenges with other pieces of
legislation that ban things like oxybenzone and octinoxate is that—chemical
companies are tricky and they can just change the names. And you end up with
the same harmful chemicals but under a different name. And so by coming at it
with this angle, and once again we can provide more of that scientific information
for you, Mr. Chung. But it eliminates any of that tomfoolery or hullabaloo.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: I'm going to cut you off right there, because I think
you've answered Council Member Chung's question. And we'll go to Council
Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder then we can come back. Thank you.
MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. I like the bill. It falls in
line with what's being requested by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration), and it also touches on humans' impact on earth. And climate
change, which is going to lead to as many different experts have agree upon, more
and more bleaching events and coral die-off as we see warmer waters and
acidification in our seas. If this is one small step we can take to helping insure
our reefs, which really support life for us and for the oceans, specifically here in
Hawaii, then it's a great step for us to take.
I do agree with Mr. Chung. It's very important to know what exactly we're
doing; making sure we're not being preemptive of State law or we're not being
preempted by State law. So look forward to the discussion, but I think overall, I
support the intent and the contents of the bill. Thank you for bringing it forward.
I yield Chair.
ACTING CHR.KIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder.
Anyone else before I go back to Mr. Chung? Chair David.
MS. DAVID: I just have a quick question. Going back to Director. On the
matter of enforcement, you actually confirmed that there are some issues that
DEM is concerned with. And that would probably be staffing, etcetera; and
funding. Is that correct?
MR. MANSOUR: That is correct.
MS. DAVID: Okay. And so, I support this bill totally. And willing to move this
one forward for further discussion with more information that's forthcoming. But
the enforcement part is basically my concern, in addition to whether we're being
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preempted as well. But the enforcement is, you know, already we have a lot of
laws on our books that are great, but I'd really like to hear what would be your
suggestions on how your department would be able to enforce this. Because you
know, we need to protect our reefs, etcetera.
But once if this passes, I just can't see it sitting there without any enforcement
opportunities that we put in place, or at least kind of discuss beforehand. So
that's my comments. It's just the enforcement part and the legality of it. So, I'm
going to support this, but I think when we come back again on this, we need to get
a little bit more details on the enforcement, which is very critical in my mind as
well. Thank you, I yield.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: Thank you, Chair David. Going to Council Member
Richards.
MR. RICHARDS: Thanks Chair. I'm going to echo what Mr. Chung was talking
about. I do like the intent of the law, but I don't know anything about sunscreen.
And I was contacted by someone who knows about sunscreen. Obviously, more
than I do. Then I was given some references, and you know, I'm taking on face
value that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are effective. I don't know that.
I do know that National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine is doing
a review of all of this. And since they're the experts, I think when we get that
information, it's supposed to be happening this year, we'll be able to make a
better decision on science.
In the meantime, I also decided to look at, I said well, I'll just look this up and see
if it pertains to sunscreen. And there were some negative sides of the mineral
sunscreens. And so, I don't know, I need more information. Conceptually, I like
the idea of taking care of the reefs. But, I think like with anything, we're going to
have to let experts weigh in on this.
I'm willing to support this going forward to have further conversations. Look
forward to more information. But also the effectiveness here in Hawaii. I see a
lot of skin cancers in animals. So we know we need sunscreens if we're spending
any time out there. And so, the effectiveness. And I'm concerned about people
going forward. And actually we use a lot of sunscreen in animals.
So, a lot of questions. I like the intent, and I'm willing to support this going
forward with more information later. However, I am apprehensive because I
don't know if this is exactly the right way to do it. Thanks Chair, I yield.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Richards. Anyone
else? Council Member Chung.
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MR. CHUNG: Yeah, let me just clarify my request of the makers of this, so there
is no mistake. I guess when I said, I want to know what titanium dioxide and zinc
oxide are, I don't need the definition. I think the only person who could really
understand what Ms. Villegas was rattling off might have been Ms. Kimball.
She's a scientist, right? These things are all Greek to me. I just want to know
about them.
So I think, you know, what Mr. Inaba brought up, it's been approved by the FDA.
You know, that kind of stuff I can relate to, right, or NOAA like Mr. Kaneali`i-
Kleinfelder talked about. You know,just kind of bring it home to me, because I
really don't understand a word that's in these definitions, but I know it's
important.
And you know, I just want to ease everyone's mind, particularly the makers or
supporters of this legislation. I'm not trying to be an obstructionist or anything,
you know. I am an attorney. I went to school to learn the law and what we do
and you can correct me if I'm wrong, is to identify issues. That is what we're
trained to do, identify issues. And that's all I'm doing,just bringing it up. We all
have our different backgrounds and you know, I just brought it up so that we can,
you know, at least consider those things before we take a vote on final reading.
So that's all. Thank you.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Chung. Council
Member Villegas. Oh, I'm sorry, Council Member Lee Loy, I'll let you chime in
and then we'll go back to
MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, thank you. It's interesting because Aaron pulled the same
part of the Chapter that I pulled, which told me, you know, I was trained. Don't
have a law degree, but spent a lot of time in a law office and they would pound
into me, definitions, definitions, definitions. And so, you know, I'm going to
support this going forward, but Judge Strance, if you could kind of give us an
outline of it. Some of the issues that Aaron raised, but the definitions in how it
crosswalks to our State definitions. That would be incredibly helpful. Chair, I
yield.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Lee Loy. Now back to
you, Council Member Villegas
MS. VILLEGAS: Sure,thank you. I guess for starters, I will do some work to
bring forth some experts, Mr. Chung, to explain in more detail, the specific
science behind these two minerals. We have those experts thankfully available
and would be happy to bring them forward to explain and educate all of us to a
next deeper level.
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I also wanted to ask Mr. Mansour, you know, we're not finished with our budgets
yet. And so I think there is a great opportunity for us to identify and work
together on what kind of funding would be necessary. You know, we've talked at
length that we don't anticipate that this needs, you know, a full staff. But to really
go through what would the specific process be. Is it, you know, a phone number
that gets called. And then, you know, somebody that it's part of their job duties to
go out and visit a site, and who provides the citation. But to really go through
those processes and perhaps between, you know, hopefully this will pass from
Committee to Council. And in that timeframe, we could have a conversation
about what kind of resources would be necessary to support your department as
we move forward. And we can explore the means for perhaps some budget
amendments to provide for something like this.
The other thing that I think would be very helpful is an education piece. And I
know that Maui incorporated that into their work with DEM, which has made it
much less necessary for reporting and enforcement, because people know about it.
And the retailers know about it; and visitors know about it. And it becomes
something that's a no-brainer, for lack of a better term. So I'd like to offer that
for us to work on so that that process and procedure could be streamlined and
funded.
I appreciate the support of Council Members here. I also wanted to provide, you
know, there's no way that Maui could have passed this legislation, had it been in
any way against the State legislation. So I look forward to continuing to learn
more about what the concerns are and making sure that we can find the avenues
and resource to mitigate those concerns. Because the time is now to make these
kinds of decisions. The science is there. The experts have spoken locally,
Statewide, nationally, and globally. Our coral reef ecosystems are suffering not
just from sunscreens, but from runoff and all other kinds of harmful materials that
end up in something that is actually the breath of our planet. You know,there are
underwater forests.
And so I feel very passionate about this, and when we look at risks verses reward,
I firmly believe that the rewards far outweigh any risks. And it behooves us and it
is our responsibility to find the ways to make this happen and to find the solutions
and the answers to eliminate—even if it's just one thing; one thing that we are
doing that we know is harming our ocean ecosystems and our coral reef
structures. So with that I ask for support of my colleagues; for Mr. Inaba and my
legislation, and we move this forward with a positive recommendation to Council.
With that I yield.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Villegas. Council
Member Chung.
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MR. CHUNG: Yeah, thanks for letting me talk again. You know, I'm really
making this easy for the makers. I'm not asking for any experts. It's up to you
what you guys want to do, but I don't know the experts. I know you guys, so if
you guys tell me something that can bring it home that's fine, you know, with me.
I just want to know a little more about this, because nothing was really said during
the testimony, and you know, during the presentation. So if you guys give me a
short recitation as to why these should—you know, we're only talking about these
two things, then fine. We don't need experts. I hear experts all the time and you
can get one expert and you get another expert. I just want to hear from my
colleagues. That's all. Thank you.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: Council Member Inaba.
MR. INABA: Thank you. Yes, we'll keep it to one page, as an attachment next
week. Just so it's on the record for everyone. And then going back,just to the
enforcement part of it. I know DEM Director Mansour, you know, sharing
concern about the Department's ability to carry out. But I think it's pretty clear.
The intention is, especially businesses who care about what the community and
their consumers think about them would be following the law, especially when it
comes to matters related to the environment. With that,the provision within this
bill giving DEM the enforcement kuleana comes because they have rule-making
authority. Like Council Member Villegas said, we talked with R&D, we just
couldn't proceed that route, so it ended up back here at DEM.
And for the public just to know, should this pass, if somebody is to be in violation
whether it's selling, distributing, giving away non-mineral sunscreen, it's a $1,000
per incident. And at such point that hopefully the department has their person
who's going to enforce and place that person, or those individuals may also
confiscate that product right off the shelf. And that's what this bill is authorizing.
To try to give it some teeth without being too specific. And there's about six
months for the department to prepare in whatever way they'd best see fit for the
enforcement of this ordinance. Thank you again for the conversation. Chair, I
yield.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: Thank you, Council Member Inaba. Anyone else?
Okay, I'll just finish up by saying, thank you both for introducing this important
piece of legislation. I think one of our testifiers did mention the short video,
Reefs at Risk, which is a really excellent sort of quick primer on how certain
chemicals impact our reef system. A lot of the great work around that has been
done here at UH (University of Hawaii) by our Marine Sciences Department. So
definitely want to acknowledge them.
Just in discussions at HSAC (Hawai`i State Association of Counties) actually,
with Council Member King who was here earlier about why take this approach of
enabling the usages of couple chemicals rather than just working from the
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standpoint of prohibition. What Council Member Villegas alluded to, a lot of
these chemicals are actually known under multiple names. And so it gets a little
tricky. If you ban it on one name, it can still be put in there in the same chemical
under a different name. And so, that's why the tact that Mau`i took, and now
Council Member Villegas, ending up by taking is to actually say, okay this is
what is allowed. And that way if it's allowed under different names, then it's still
covered so. Again, thank you both. Happy to support this measure today. I'll go
straight to the vote, I think we've had a good discussion. All those in favor say
"aye."
Vote on Bill 167: The motion to recommend passage of Bill 167 on first
(Approved) reading was carried by the following roll call vote.
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Inaba,
Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy,
Richards, Villegas, and Acting Chair Kimball—9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
ACTING CHR. KIMBALL: We have a unanimous vote, Mr. Clerk. And
with that, I'll take a motion to adjourn.
ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 2:12 p.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn the
MENT: meeting. Seconded by Mr. Inaba and carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Inaba,
Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy,
Richards, Villegas, and Acting Chair Kimball—9.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
CHR. KIMBALL: We are adjourned.
Approved:
June 1, 2022
. Rebecca V 1 egas, Chair (Date)
Climate Resilience and Natural Resource
Management Committee
RV/dt
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