STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1419

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 26

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.R. No. 26, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND REGULATORY CONSEQUENCES OF CROP DEGRADATION CAUSED BY INVASIVE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES IN HAWAII,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources to identify the economic, environmental, and regulatory consequences of crop degradation caused by invasive and endangered species in Hawaii.

 

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii County Farm Bureau.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Conservation Council for Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

 

     Your Committee finds that the substantial damage to Hawaii crops caused by invasive and endangered species is well-known.  However, the extent of the damage does not appear to have been quantified.  Your Committee further finds that identifying and quantifying the impacts of the damage to agriculture in Hawaii is necessary to facilitate a unified federal, state, and county approach to address the problems caused by invasive and endangered species.

 

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 26, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair