RELATING TO LANDFILLS.

Land

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: LEE, M., KILA, MATAYOSHI, OLDS
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of July 1, 3000 seems unrealistic and likely contains an error.

Expanding Landfill Buffer Zones

This bill increases the buffer zone around landfills from half a mile to one mile and requires it to apply to conservation lands.

What This Bill Does

Increases the distance between landfills and nearby areas, including conservation districts and national conservation areas, from half a mile to one mile.

Who It Names or Affects

People living near landfills
Landowners in conservation districts and national conservation areas

Terms To Know

Buffer zone: The area around a landfill that must be kept free of development to protect the environment and public health.
Conservation district: A specific land use area in Hawaii set aside for conservation purposes, protecting native species and habitats.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a landfill needs to expand after the new buffer zone is established.
It's unclear how existing facilities will be affected by this change.
The effective date of July 1, 3000 seems unrealistic and likely contains an error.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment extends the landfill buffer zone from half a mile to one mile and requires it to apply to conservation district lands and national conservation areas.

Extends the landfill buffer zone from half a mile to one mile around waste or disposal facilities.
Requires the buffer zone to include lands in the state conservation district and national conservation areas.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder for a future date.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Kong, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Souza voting no (5) and Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Kila, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-10 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 311) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2025-02-04 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Ichiyama, Poepoe; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Morikawa, Woodson; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Shimizu, Souza; and Excused: none.
2025-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-04-25 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO LANDFILLS.
Landfills; Waste Management; Buffer Zone; Conservation Lands
Extends the landfill buffer zone from one-half mile to one mile. Requires the landfill buffer zone to apply to lands in the state conservation district and lands designated as national conservation areas. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB878

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

878

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to landfills
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that, in Hawaii,
landfills can pose environmental, health, and safety risks to nearby communities
and ecosystems.
�
Of particular concern is
the proximity of landfills to conservation areas that are designated to protect
native species, habitats, and cultural resources.
�
The legislature further finds that extending the landfill buffer
zone to one mile and applying the buffer zone to lands classified as
conservation areas will ensure the protection of Hawaii's people and fragile
natural environment.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Extend the landfill buffer zone from one-half
mile to one mile; and

����
(2)
�
Require
the landfill buffer zone to apply to lands in the state conservation district
and lands designated as national conservation areas.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section
342H-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read
as follows:

����
"(b)
�
No person, including the State or any county,
shall construct, modify, or expand a waste or disposal facility including a
municipal solid waste landfill unit, any component of a municipal solid waste
landfill unit, a
construction and demolition landfill
unit
, or any component of a construction and demolition landfill unit
without first establishing a buffer zone of no less than [
one-half
]
one

mile around the waste or disposal facility.
�

This subsection shall not apply to the
continued
operation of an existing waste or disposal facility that is properly permitted;
provided that continued operation does not require physical expansion, vertical
or horizontal, of the facility requiring additional permitting review and a
permit modification
.

����
For the purposes of this subsection:

����
"Buffer zone" means
the
distance between the edge of waste or waste activity and the nearest
residential[
,
]
lot,
school, [
or
] hospital [
property line.
]
,
land within the conservation district, or land designated as a national
conservation area and managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management through
the National Landscape Conservation System pursuant to title 16 United States
Code section 7202.

����
"Conservation district"
means
the state land use
district established
pursuant to chapter 205.

����
"Waste or disposal
facility" excludes individual, state certified, non-industrial redemption
centers."

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Landfills;
Waste Management; Buffer Zone; Conservation Lands

Description:

Extends the landfill buffer zone from one-half mile to one
mile.
�
Requires the landfill buffer zone
to apply to lands in the state conservation district and lands designated as
national conservation areas.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.