STAND. COM. REP. NO.718

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1495

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1495 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HAWAII DROUGHT PLAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate $200,000 in state funds to supplement federal funding to further develop and plan the Hawaii Drought Plan.

Your Committee finds that droughts are potentially devastating to Hawaii's economy and way of life, and that a severe drought damages not only the agriculture and livestock industry, but also may harm the State's tourist industry, which depends on the State's natural beauty and "greenery" of Hawaii's forests and plant life.

Your Committee further finds that drought declarations and emergency conservation measures have been issued intermittently over the past five years for the counties of Maui and Hawaii. Crop damage, cattle losses, water shortages in agricultural irrigation systems, and other costs are incurred during droughts. While some funding for continued planning and drought mitigation measures has been provided by the United States Department of Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, these funds may not be sufficient to fully plan and develop the Hawaii Drought Plan.

Your Committee finds that a comprehensive, well-coordinated drought plan would significantly reduce the impacts of drought in Hawaii by providing a coordinated response mechanism. The first phase of the Hawaii Drought Plan requires additional details to develop the second phase to qualify Hawaii for federal funding under the Bureau of Reclamation Program. This measure provides necessary funding for further development and planning of the Hawaii Drought Plan.

Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing the sum appropriated with an unspecified amount in order to facilitate further discussion on the funding necessary to carry out the purposes of this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1495, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1495, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair