03-19-2013, 07:04 PM
The Hawaii Sustainable Community Alliance is working towards amending current laws to allow more sustainable, eco-friendly practices, communities and buildings.
Many Mahalos to all of our Supporters!
We have moved through all the House committees, with almost unanimous support!
Now it is before the SENATE with only two Committees to Pass !!!!
Details below.
Update on Sustainable Living Research Bill (HB111)
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED SO FAR!
The Senate Committee on Water and Land has scheduled HB111, HD2 for a hearing on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 1:30pm! This is wonderful news!
THIS IS OUR CALL TO ACTION #5!
Please send new testimony by noon on Wednesday, March 20th if possible!
Otherwise by March 21st is ok.
Over 200 of you wrote in to support past hearings, we need to do it all again and even bigger to ensure this one goes “all the way”.
We have a need for your ongoing support, as it helps to resend testimony to each committee as the Bill progresses. The good news is we only have one more after this committee.
If you save your testimony in a word doc, you can easily modify it and resend it with a click to the next committee chairperson. We do not need to have a copy of your testimony sent to us anymore.
It is helpful to modify your testimony to reflect the focus of each committee as it makes it easier and more relevant for them to read and understand.
We have listed some specific focus points for the WATER AND LAND committee below.
How to submit your Testimony
Go to http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/submittestimony.aspx
You will see a field "Enter a measure to retrieve the corresponding hearing notice."
· Enter HB111 and press Submit. This will take you to a form where you can submit testimony for this bill.
· It is a quick and simple process. You will receive a confirmation on your email.
Summary of HB111
This Bill provides for legislation to establish “Sustainable Living Research Sites” on parcels less than 15 acres that are designated "agricultural". It would allow applicants to request exemptions from State and County Codes for approved sustainable living research activities. This would enable innovators and sustainable pioneers to practice and test ways of living that are ecological and sustainable but outside of existing codes. Research will include new ways to: live in ecovillage-type communities, build affordably and sustainably, provide alternative energy, conserve and harvest fresh water, conserve and improve topsoil without expensive or toxic inputs, increase local food production and quality, provide onsite waste treatment and recycling, and many other developing techniques for sustainable living.
Testimony Tips
Keep it positive
Keep it relatively short
You may send a letter, which carries more weight, or simply say that you support the bill.
Note: More weight is given to testimony if you are representing an organization
Sample Letter Format (you can prepare a Word doc and paste it in or just email)
Your name (with position/title and organization, if applicable)
Water and Land committee
March 21st at 1:30 pm.
RE: HB 111
Aloha Chair Senator Malama Soloman,
Vice Chair Senator Maile Shimabukuro, and members of the committee,
I support this bill for these reasons
* Bullet point
* Bullet point
* Bullet point
Mahalo for your support of this bill,
(Signed)
Focus Points -take your pick or use all
Our organization of more than 600 members statewide supports HB111 for these reasons:
• Over the past five years, sustainable development has found favor with an increasing number of national and international organizations,
• State Legislature adopted the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan in 2008. We now need more tools to implement and to experiment in sustainability.
• Benefits from sustainable living research will include: an increase in real ‘affordable’ and sustainable green housing, Increases in employment in small business sustainable enterprises, the growth of small locally owned farms that educate and employ a new breed of young farmers, additional protection for consumers from the disruptions in transport of supplies to Hawaii islands, reduced dependence on imports of food and energy by promoting locally sustainable alternatives, an improvement in the island’s landfill problems by increasing ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• it will promote the development of think tanks focusing on sustainable research and development.
• Now is the time to bring current zoning and land use codes into compliance with local community values.