STAND. COM. REP. NO. 535

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1162

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1162 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify conditions that must be met by applicants to receive funds under the Forest Stewardship Program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that over sixty percent of Hawaii's forested areas are privately owned and managed.  The Forest Stewardship Program provides technical and financial assistance to private landowners in protecting, restoring, and managing Hawaii's forested lands, which in turn helps protect watersheds, forest resources, forest products, fish and wildlife habitats, rare and endangered plants, and native vegetation.  This measure modifies qualification requirements to increase program eligibility for private forest managers, increases funds available for the management of private forests, and provides protections for native vegetation.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1162, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1162, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair