CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 152

                            Honolulu, Hawaii
                                            , 2000

                            RE:   H.B. No. 2835
                                  H.D. 2
                                  S.D. 2
                                  C.D. 1




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

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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the
House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate
in H.B. No. 2835, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

    "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATERSHED PROTECTION,"


having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to
recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final
passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to be
expended by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
for watershed protection.

     Your Committee finds that the four county water departments
(Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii and Kauai), are committed to water
management and resource protection programs.  The estimated
county water departments' expenditures, including past and
current expenditures, are about $9.1 million statewide.  This
represents about 5.4% of the annual revenue collected by all four
county water departments.

 
 
                            CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 152
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     The various county watershed and resource protection
programs among the islands include the following:

     (1) Watershed partnerships to preserve and protect valuable
         watersheds;

     (2) Projects to eradicate miconia that threatens watersheds;

     (3) Partnerships with the various State Soil and Water
         Conservation Districts;

     (4) Cooperative agreements with the United States Geological
         Survey for resource monitoring and hydrologic studies
         that improve understanding of water resources; and

     (5) The tri-county monitor well drilling program to advance
         understanding of groundwater resources.

     Your Committee recognizes that fresh water is not an
infinite resource and that its high quality, quantity, and
sustainability are linked to the existence of forested watershed.
A statewide watershed management plan must be developed to assess
the condition of our watersheds and determine what actions or
programs are necessary to insure their long-term viability for
future generations.

     Your Committee further finds that there is no funding
requirement from the budget of the current fiscal year.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1) Eliminating the appropriation for watershed protection
         and language that the appropriation is to be expended by
         the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

     (2) Revising the purpose of this bill, that it will
         establish a watershed protection board to develop a
         watershed protection master plan to provide for the
         protection, preservation, and enhancement of important
         watershed areas;

     (3) Inserting language regarding this master plan, that it
         will include potential watershed protection projects, an
         implementation plan, and funding sources;

     (4) Describing the membership of the watershed protection
         board;


 
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     (5) Describing the powers and duties of the watershed
         protection board;

     (6) Stating that the cost shall be borne by some or all of
         the agencies that have representation on the board by
         agreement or from other funding sources as approved by
         the board;

     (7) Adding language that the board shall submit the
         watershed protection master plan to the legislature no
         later than June 30, 2001; and

     (8) Revising the effective date to be upon approval of this
         Act, and sunset date to be June 30, 2002.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your
Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your
Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 2835, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto
as H.B. No. 2835, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the managers:

  ON THE PART OF THE SENATE          ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE
                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair            ROMY M. CACHOLA, Chair
                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair           EZRA R. KANOHO, Co-Chair
                                   




______________________________
ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair