STAND. COM. REP. NO. 225-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 2873

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2873 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide funding for the inspection and eradication efforts of invasive species, by establishing a Hawaii invasive species special fund, to be funded by:

(1) An unspecified percentage of the funds collected from the airport landing fees; and

(2) An unspecified percentage of the funds paid into the harbor special fund.

The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i, Conservation Council for Hawai'i, Sierra Club, Hawai'i Chapter, C & H Farms, KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill. The Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the intent of this measure. The Hawaii Farm Bureau Foundation supported this bill with amendments. The Department of Transportation opposed this bill. The Department of Agriculture and Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. provided comments.

The Department of Transportation raised the concern that the use of airport and harbor revenues towards the control efforts for invasive species appears to be an unlawful diversion of airport and harbor fees. However, your Committees find that the bill specifically limits the use of those funds to inspection and eradication of invasive species at ports of entry. Your Committees also believe that the inclusion of inspection and eradication of invasive species at ports of entry to the costs of operation of airports and harbors is an issue that deserves further discussion in subsequent committees. Your Committees further recognize the need to consider different sources of funding to combat the problem of invasive species control.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2873 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Agriculture,

 

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FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair

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HERMINA MORITA, Chair