STAND. COM. REP. NO. 214

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1494
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Labor and Environment and Transportation
and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B.
No. 1494 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE MICONIA
     ERADICATION PROGRAM IN THE COUNTY OF HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to
support Miconia eradication efforts on the island of Hawaii.
Specifically, this measure will assist the County of Hawaii by
providing matching funds for federal grants that are available
for Miconia eradication efforts.  

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of
Agriculture, the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Sierra Club,
Hawaii Chapter, Big Island Melastome Action Committee, and two
individuals.

     Your Committees find that the U.S. Forest Service considers
Miconia (Miconia calvescens) a major threat to forest health and
the Department of Agriculture characterizes Miconia as a serious,
invasive, noxious weed in Hawaii.  In order to prevent Miconia
from spreading to other islands, it is prudent that the State
invest resources in the multi-agency eradication program on the
island of Hawaii.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 214
                                   Page 2


     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Labor and Environment and Transportation and
Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your
Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B.
No. 1494 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Labor and
                                   Environment and Transportation
                                   and Intergovernmental Affairs,



____________________________       ______________________________
CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair                BOB NAKATA, Chair

 
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