STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2678

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 979

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 979, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to use certain special funds to support invasive species control and mitigation and to promote reforestation and sediment run-off mitigation.

 

     Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by one state agency.  Two organizations submitted comments, and one state agency submitted testimony in opposition.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that the State is at a critical juncture for invasive species control.  Invasive species do not stop spreading because the State is in an economic recession, and the coqui frog outbreak in Waimanalo is a prime example.  Creative solutions are needed to fund the State's dire need for harmful invasive species control and mitigation which includes a careful examination of available resources.  Although your Committees recognize the concerns raised, more favorable solutions have not been offered.  This is one method of providing the needed funding for the control of harmful invasive species.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050 to facilitate further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purpose of clarity.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 979, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 979, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair