STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2233

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 608

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 608, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

 

Chair of the Department of Land and Natural Resources

 

G.M. No. 608

SUZANNE D. CASE,

for a term to expire 12-31-2022,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by Suzanne Case for service as the Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Suzanne Case from the Governor; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Agriculture; Department of Accounting and General Services; Department of Human Resources Development; Department of Public Safety; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Department of Transportation; Aha Moku Advisory Committee; Office of Environmental Quality Control; Office of Enterprise Technology Services; City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply; Kauai Island Utility Cooperative; The Nature Conservancy; Pūlama Lānai; Oahu County Committee, Oahu County Democrats; Joule Group, LLC; National Tropical Botanical Garden; Maui County Farm Bureau; Kuaāina Ulu Auamo; and twenty-four individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the nomination for the reappointment of Suzanne Case from Hoomanapono Political Action Committee; Hoomana Pono, LLC; Hawaii Hunting Association; Aloha Animal Advocates; Cat Lives Matter; Kiai Wai O Waialeale; and twenty-six individuals.  Your Committee received comments on the nomination for the reappointment of Suzanne Case from one individual.

 

     Suzanne Case has served as the Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources since 2015.  She was born in Hilo and grew up in Hilo and Honolulu.  She attended Williams College and Stanford University and graduated from Stanford University with honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  She received a law degree from Hastings College of the Law, at the University of California in San Francisco.  Ms. Case practiced law in Honolulu from 1983 to 1987, specializing in real estate transactions.

 

     Suzanne Case is a twenty-eight year veteran of The Nature Conservancy where she served as Executive Director from 2001 to 2015.  Her experience involved work in native forests and in coastal and marine conservation, directly and through partnerships.  Ms. Case also oversaw the Palmyra Atoll Nature Preserve and Research Station in the Pacific, a globally acclaimed conservation and research collaboration of The Nature Conservancy, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium.

 

     Since becoming Chair in 2015, Ms. Case has focused on good government, inclusion, and implementation of the Sustainable Hawaii Initiative.  Highlights of her achievements during her first term include response to rapid ōhia death; establishment of the Hāena, Kauai Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area and Kaūpūlehu, Kona "Try Wait" ten-year community-based fishing rest area; establishment of instream flow standards for dozens of streams in East Maui; enforcement and safety control actions for illegal public activity on state lands promoted by social media; digitization of department records; implementation of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement academy; and participation as the co-chair of the Interagency Climate Adaptation Committee.

 

     Ms. Case believes in wise stewardship of Hawaii's public and conservation lands and waters, excellence in government, making the most of limited resources, and collaboration and inclusion.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Case will continue to bring the same leadership, focus, dedication, knowledge, and passion for natural and cultural resource conservation to the Department of Land and Natural Resources that she has demonstrated previously in the role of Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair