STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2057

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2611
                                        




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Environment, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2611 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HABITAT CONSERVATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to bring Hawaii state laws into
closer conformity with current federal regulations regarding
habitat conservation plans and safe harbor agreements.

     Testimony in favor of the measure was received from
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Environmental Center -
University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the Sierra Club - Hawaii
Chapter.  Testimony in opposition to the measure was received
from the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Land Use
Research Foundation of Hawaii.

     The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revokes incidental take
permits if continuation of the authorized activity would threaten
an imperiled species to extinction.  In Hawaii, the State would
be bound to the habitat conservation plan or safe harbor
agreement and its only recourse would be to purchase the land.
This measure allows the State to revoke the plan or agreement if
the authorized activity would threaten endangered species to
extinction.  Your Committee is in agreement that this measure
brings state laws into closer conformity with federal
regulations.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2057
                                   Page 2


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Environment that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2611 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and
                                   Environment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BOB NAKATA, Chair

 
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