STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1353_______

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 953
                                     S.D. 2
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to
which was referred S.B. No. 953, S.D. 2, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATURAL AND CULTURAL
     RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish the Hawaii
Environmental Authority (Authority) within the Department of Land
and Natural Resources (DLNR) to oversee the State's environmental
protection policies and strategies.

     This bill requires the Authority to, among other things:

     (1)  Develop a long-range plan for environmental protection;

     (2)  Develop and implement the state environmental strategic
          plan to protect and market the State as a desirable
          visitor destination;

     (3)  Work to eliminate or reduce barriers to environmental
          protection; and

     (4)  Coordinate the development of new products with the
          public and private sectors, including the development
          of bioremediation, culture, and eco-tourism.


 
 
 
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     Na Leo Pohai and Hawaii's Thousand Friends testified in
support of this bill.  The DLNR and the Sierra Club, Hawaii
Chapter supported the intent of this measure.  The Office of
Hawaiian Affairs offered amendments.

     The Hawaii Audubon Society also supported this measure and
recommended amendments to establish a public/private partnership
program within the the Office of Environmental Quality Control
(OEQC).  The Hawaii Green Party and an individual supported these
amendments.

     OEQC, the Office of Information Practices, and the
University of Hawaii Environmental Center offered comments, and
the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and
Permitting opposed this measure.

     Your Committee believes that the State cannot afford to
establish a new entity at this time due to the current economic
climate.  Instead, any new powers should be placed within an
existing entity.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this
bill by:

     (1)  Replacing the Authority with the Stewardship and
          Partnering Program (Program) within OEQC to be headed
          by an Administrator;

     (2)  Directing the Administrator to, among other things:

          (a)  Leverage state resources by seeking outside
               funding;

          (b)  Create partnerships and enhance the capacity for
               community-based cultural and natural resource
               stewardship;

          (c)  Enhance and develop locally-owned businesses and
               employment opportunities in the fields of natural
               and cultural resources;

          (d)  Facilitate the resolution of conflicts between
               proponents of development and natural and cultural
               resource conservation and management; and

          (e)  Provide technical assistance to create
               public/private partnerships;

     (3)  Requiring OEQC to assist the Program;


 
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     (4)  Specifying that moneys from the Environmental Special
          Fund (Fund) shall be used by the Program, including
          salaries;

     (5)  Revising the membership of the Environmental Council
          and directing it to advise the Administrator on the
          implementation of the Program;

     (6)  Making an appropriation to the Fund to carry out the
          purposes of this bill; and

     (7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the
          purpose of consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection that is attached
to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 953, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as S.B. No. 953, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the
Committee on Tourism.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Energy and
                                   Environmental Protection,



                                   ______________________________
                                   HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair