STAND. COM. REP. NO. 47-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1949
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ocean Recreation and Marine Resources, to
which was referred H.B. No. 1949 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ALIEN AQUATIC ORGANISMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to designate the Department of
Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) as the lead state agency for
preventing the introduction and carrying out of the destruction
of alien aquatic organisms through the regulation of ballast
water discharges and hull fouling organisms.

     This bill will implement the following recommendations of
the Alien Aquatic Organism Task Force:

     (1)  Designate the DLNR as the lead agency to prevent the
          introduction of alien aquatic species into Hawaii's
          environment;

     (2)  Authorize the DLNR to draft rules and guidelines to
          address the problems of alien aquatic species;

     (3)  Establish an interagency rapid response team to address
          concerns relating to the arrival of high risk vessels;
          and

     (4)  Direct the DLNR to examine the feasibility of
          establishing a quarantine area and an onshore ballast
          water disposal/treatment facility in Honolulu Harbor.

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 47-00
                                 Page 2

 
     The Department of Transportation, the Hawaii Audubon
Society, the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, the Hawaii Fisherman
Foundation and BOATS Hawaii testified in support of this bill.
The DLNR opposed this bill, because it will adversely affect its
limited resources. The University of Hawaii's Environmental
Center offered comments.

     This bill was amended by:

     (1)  Appropriating $50,000 from the Commercial Fisheries
          Special Fund; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of consistency.

     Your Committee finds that alien aquatic species pose a
serious threat to the environment and economy of Hawaii. With the
passage of this bill, the DLNR will serve as a liaison with the
Coast Guard in dealing with vessels which may be carrying alien
aquatic organisms. With the appointment of a lead agency to
address this issue, the State may also be eligible to receive
federal funds.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ocean Recreation and Marine Resources that is
attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the
intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1949, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as H.B. No. 1949, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee
on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Ocean Recreation
                                   and Marine Resources,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ROY M. TAKUMI, CHAIR