STAND. COM. REP. NO.  155

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 957

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 957 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOREST STEWARDSHIP,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

The purpose of this measure is to expand the financial assistance available for forestry management under the Forest Stewardship Program by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that assistance is available to landowners and long-term leaseholders of all privately managed forest land;

 

     (2)  Increasing the reimbursement rate for costs incurred in developing a forest stewardship management plan; and

 

     (3)  Clarifying requirements for entering into a program implementation agreement with the Board of Land and Natural Resources.  

 

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii submitted testimony in support of this measure.

 


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 957 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair