Environmental management commission: members, duties, and review of bills

(a) There shall be an environmental management commission consisting of nine members who shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. One member shall be a resident of each council district. The terms of the members shall be as prescribed in section 13-4 of the Hawai‘i County Charter. (b) The environmental management commission shall advise the department on solid waste and wastewater programs, waste reduction strategies, recycling, litter control, community involvement, and other issues, including any pilot project or program, related to the functions of the department, and shall exercise any other powers related to the functions of the department that may be delegated to it by ordinance. The commission shall also provide its comments and recommendations on these matters to the council. The commission shall hear and determine appeals from decisions of the director, including orders and denials of variances. (c) The council shall refer any bill for an ordinance to amend chapter 20 or chapter 21 of this Code to the director and the commission, with each to provide independent comments and recommendations. Additionally, the council may refer any bill for an ordinance relating to the functions and duties of the department to the director and commission, with each to provide independent comments and recommendations. In all such cases, the director and commission shall each submit to the council their independent comments and recommendations within forty-five days of receipt. SUPP. 9 (1-2021) 2-88 ADMINISTRATION § 2-207 (d) The council may continue its deliberations on any bill for an ordinance referred to the director and commission during the forty-five-day review period; provided, that if the council substantively amends any such bill for an ordinance, the amended bill for an ordinance shall be referred by the council to the director and commission for their independent comments and recommendations, both to be submitted to the council within forty-five days of receipt of the amended bill for an ordinance. (e) The council shall not take final action on any bill for an ordinance referred to the director and the commission, as amended or otherwise, until it receives the comments and recommendations of the director and the commission, unless either or both fail to meet the forty-five-day period for comment and review. If either the director or commission fails, or both fail, to provide comments and recommendations within the allotted forty-five-day review period, the council may proceed and the inaction of either the director or commission shall not be viewed as either a favorable or unfavorable recommendation. (2001, ord 01-110, sec 2; am 2005, ord 05-22, sec 1; am 2012, ord 12-114, sec 1; am 2019, ord 19-112, sec 1.)2-207 Article 41. Animal Control and Protection Agency.