STAND. COM. REP. NO.  716-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 3340

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 3340 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KAWAI NUI MARSH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to protect and preserve Kawai Nui Marsh on the island of Oahu, a wetland of international importance and an ecological and cultural treasure to the state, by establishing a Kawai Nui Marsh Advisory Council (Council) to:

 

(1)  Review and assist in updating the Kawai Nui Marsh Master Plan (Master Plan);

 

(2)  Facilitate implementation of the Master Plan;

 

(3)  Enhance community education and cultural awareness of Kawai Nui Marsh; and

 

(4)  Participate in the protection and preservation of Kawai Nui Marsh's natural resources.

 


     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Windward Ahupuaa Alliance, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and City and County of Honolulu Department of Facility Maintenance supported the intent of this measure.  Ahahui Malama I ka Lokahi supported this bill with amendments.  The Kawai Nui Heritage Foundation provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Increasing the membership of the Council from ten to 12 voting members, and from three to five ex-officio members;

 

(2)  Replacing the representative on the Council from the Kawai Nui Marsh Heritage Foundation with a representative from Ahahui Malama I ka Lokahi;

 

(3)  Providing that the two cultural representatives be appointed by Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club and Ahahui Malama I ka Lokahi;

 

(4)  Adding membership on the Council for:

 

     (A)  DLNR Division of State Parks;

 

     (B)  The United States Fish and Wildlife Service;

 

     (C)  The Kailua Chamber of Commerce; and

 

     (D)  A student representative from a Kailua area school;

 

(5)  Clarifying that the Master Plan the Council is required to review is the 1994 Kawai Nui Marsh Master Plan;

 

(6)  Requiring the Council to also revise the Master Plan;

 

(7)  Providing that the Master Plan should also include Hamakua wetlands and adjacent waterways that enter into Kawai Nui Marsh from Maunawili and Kapaa Valleys and flow into Kailua Bay (ahupuaa of Kailua);

 

(8)  Clarifying that the Council is also responsible for participating in the protection and preservation of Kawai Nui Marsh's cultural resources;

 

(9)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

 

(10) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3340, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3340, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair