West Hawaii Today reporter Erin Miller and AP reporter Treena Shapiro contributed to this report.
FROM LOCAL AND WIRE REPORTS
A proposal to collect fees from customers who choose disposable paper and plastic shopping bags is gaining support as it works through the state Legislature.
If lawmakers pass House Bill 2260 this session, Hawaii would become the first state to enact this kind of pro-environment legislation.
Despite a Hawaii County Council measure that enacted a plastic bag ban, county residents would still be affected by this legislation, because it would also apply to paper bags. One of West Hawaii’s representatives, Denny Coffman, introduced the bill.
The measure has been touted as a way to discourage shoppers from using single-use shopping bags by charging an extra 5 cents per bag. The average person uses 400 plastic bags each year, advocates say.
If passed, the measure would direct 60 percent of revenues to the natural area reserve fund for watershed protection, restoration and reacquisition through December 2013. At that point, 70 percent of revenues would go to the fund.
The money “goes directly into a revolving fund,” Coffman said. “It’s already spelled out in statute what it’s for.”
But, he acknowledged, “in the Legislative world, from year to year, anything can happen” to money in designated funds, and those funds are sometimes raided.
After the designated 60 to 70 percent directed toward conservation, of the remaining funds, from when the bill would be enacted until Dec. 31, 2013, retailers could keep 20 percent of the fees. Starting in 2014, retailers would be allowed to keep 10 percent. The remaining 20 percent of the fees will be directed to the general fund.
Mark Fox, director of external affairs for the Nature Conservancy, told a House committee Thursday the legislation has two benefits: “It works on changing people’s behavior and encourages them to bring reusable bags. And if you’re unable to change your behavior, you can contribute to helping our watersheds.”
Maui and Kauai counties also have enacted measures to limit use of plastic bags. Melissa Pavlicek, testifying on behalf of Safeway and Times Supermarket, said plastic bag bans on Maui and Kauai have led more shoppers to ask for costly paper bags instead of bringing their own reusable totes.
The grocery chains support the bill but requested the state use some of the fee to help them cover the cost of administering the program.
Supporters note the bags require fossil fuel for manufacture, harm marine life when they end up in the ocean, burden overcrowded landfills and wind up as unsightly litter.
“Only 10 percent of the watersheds are currently protected and that’s taken 40 years to do,” said Guy Kaulukukui, deputy director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The disposable bag fee could help protect Hawaii’s mauka forests and all priority watersheds within the decade, he told lawmakers.
Carol Pregill, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, noted the proposal puts the burden on consumers, rather than businesses. The retailers Pregill represents support the bill, but want to ensure future changes would not result in additional costs to merchants, she remarked.
Stuart Coleman, of the Surfrider Foundation, told committee members he was excited to see the bill moving after four years of urging the state to take action.
“We feel like we’re going to be turning a problem into a solution,” he said.
Coleman pointed out it was unusual to see so many diverse groups united in support.
“This is kind of win-win for everybody,” he said. “We’ve got businesses behind us. We’ve got government agencies. We’ve got environmental groups and just a whole wide array of school groups and citizens groups and such. It’s very inspiring to see everything coming together.”
West Hawaii Today reporter Erin Miller and AP reporter Treena Shapiro contributed to this report.