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THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  ENCOURAGING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII'S HAWAII UNDERSEA RESEARCH
      LABORATORY TO ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH
      THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO OPERATE AN ADVANCED TETHERED
      VEHICLE.


 1          WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii is a world leader in
 2   oceanographic research and engineering tasks; and
 3   
 4          WHEREAS, its Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory excels
 5   in deep submergence operations and has made notable scientific
 6   discoveries; and
 7   
 8          WHEREAS, the acquisition of an advanced tethered vehicle
 9   (ATV), an unmanned vehicle system designed for operation at
10   ocean depths as great as 20,000 feet equipped with a
11   sophisticated package consisting of television cameras, a
12   spreader, drill motor, wrench and rotary saw, and a grabber,
13   will greatly expand the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory's
14   current capability for undersea research at greater depths and
15   in shallower waters where long, continuous bottom time is
16   required; and
17   
18          WHEREAS, the United States Navy has a surplus ATV; and 
19   
20          WHEREAS, it would be beneficial for the Navy to transfer
21   its surplus assets to another governmental agency that has a
22   world-class reputation in oceanographic studies; and
23   
24          WHEREAS, the Navy would benefit from an arrangement
25   which would allow the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at
26   Barking Sands, Kauai, to have priority usage of the ATV for
27   underwater acoustic range maintenance and recovery of various
28   weapons and equipment, emergency operations, and other
29   Department of Defense needs in the Pacific Basin; and
30   
31          WHEREAS, the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory has an
32   open ocean research vessel equipped to handle an ATV and a
33   trained crew that can operate it most cost-effectively; and
34   
35          WHEREAS, the PMRF, with no capability to operate an ATV,
36   would greatly benefit by a partnership agreement with Hawaii
37   Undersea Research Laboratory; and

 
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 1   
 2          WHEREAS, the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory
 3   envisions deploying the ATV to the National Oceanic and
 4   Atmospheric Administration's West Coast and Polar Center at the
 5   University of Alaska, Fairbanks, for part of the year for
 6   cooperative research arrangements; and
 7   
 8          WHEREAS, opportunities to explore the mysteries of the
 9   underwater environment promises to lead to new scientific
10   advancements which will benefit the world's peoples; now,
11   therefore,
12   
13          BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth
14   Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000,
15   the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature
16   urges the United States Navy and the Regents of the University
17   of Hawaii to execute a memorandum of understanding transferring
18   an ATV to the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory; and
19   
20          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
21   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the
22   United States; the Secretary of Defense; the Secretary of the
23   Navy; the Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Command;
24   the Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet; the
25   Commander, Submarine Force, United States Pacific Fleet; the
26   Commander, PMRF; the President of the University of Hawaii, and
27   the members of Hawaii's Congressional Delegation.
28 
29 
30 
31                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________