STAND. COM. REP. NO. 175

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1893

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Energy, Environment, and International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1893 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the removal process of noxious trees identified by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, County of Maui Department of Water Supply, Aloha Green, Continental Pacific, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, the Nature Conservancy, and four individuals.

Your Committees find that beyond the devastating environmental impacts associated with the introduction and spread of alien plant species to Hawaii's environment, alien species also represent a drain on Hawaii's economy. Costs associated with mitigating or removing alien plant species and reintegrating native plant and animal species is a strain on limited government resources on the federal, state, and county levels. Thus, this measure provides a streamlined process for removing trees identified by the Department of Land and Natural Resources as noxious.

While this measure will provide a tool for removing these invasive trees, your Committees also noted concerns regarding the expedited process. Thus, it is your Committees' intent that the permit applications to remove noxious trees go through an extensive review process performed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Energy, Environment, and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1893 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Energy, Environment, and International Affairs,

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J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

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RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair