STAND. COM. REP. NO.  432-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 3391

      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 Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 3391 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUATIC RESOURCES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to require the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to provide a comprehensive report on the status of the state's marine ecosystems.

 

     The Hawaii Audubon Society, Hawaii Nearshore Fishermen, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii supported this measure with amendments.  The Conservation Council for Hawaii, Ocean Law & Policy Institute, KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance, and Hawaii Tropical Fish Association opposed this bill.  DLNR provided comments.

 

     Your Committee finds that the report for the next update for the State of the Coral Reef Ecosystems for the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States is due to be released in June 2008, and that another update will be released three years following that report.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by requiring the final report to be submitted to the Legislature at least 20 days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2012.


 

     Additionally, this bill has been amended by:

 

(1)  Providing funding for the report;

 

(2)  Including in the scope of the report effects from:

 

     (A)  Alien species;

 

     (B)  Runoff and sedimentation;

 

     (C)  Harvesting of marine resources;

 

     (D)  Pollution;

 

     (E)  Fresh water inputs; and

 

(F)  Relevant material from other sources, such as the national "State of the Coral Reef Ecosystems";

 

     and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3391, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3391, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair