STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2944

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1949
                                        H.D. 2
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Economic Development and Labor and
Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1949, H.D. 2,
entitled: 

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

beg leave to report as follows:

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

     Testimony in favor of this measure was submitted by the
Department of Land and Natural Resources and Sierra Club, Hawai`i
Chapter.  The Environmental Center, University of Hawai`i at
Manoa submitted comments.

     Your Committees find that there are an estimated 350
nonindigenous species of marine and estuarine plants and animals
that have been introduced to U.S. coastal waters.  Hawaii is
particularly vulnerable to introduction of alien aquatic
organisms and this measure begins to address the problem.

     Your Committees have heard that the department does not
currently have funds available for this program and has amended
this measure to appropriate $50,000.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2944
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     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Economic Development and Labor and Environment that
are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with
the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1949, H.D. 2, as amended
herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form
attached hereto as H.B. No. 1949, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred
to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Economic
                                   Development and Labor and
                                   Environment,



____________________________       ______________________________
BOB NAKATA, Chair                  LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 
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