Report Title:

Molokai Irrigation System; Evaluation

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Molokai's water shortage has reached a critical stage and the stability of Molokai's agriculture industry is in jeopardy; and

WHEREAS, unless action is taken immediately, Molokai's farmers will not have the water needed to maintain their farming operations; and

WHEREAS, the Molokai Irrigation System (MIS) has been severely neglected; and

WHEREAS, MIS was designed to serve up to 17,640 acres of farm land in Molokai's arid Ho'olehua plain, most of which is owned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and to have a capacity of 21 million gallons of water per day; and

WHEREAS, the MIS currently transmits only 4 million gallons per day which limits the production and growth of Molokai's agriculture industry and overall economy; and

WHEREAS, the inefficiency of the MIS is attributed to the lack of maintenance and repairs; and

WHEREAS, water loss due to its deteriorating structure is estimated at 30 per cent; and

WHEREAS, Molokai continues to endure drought conditions and prevention of further water loss is critical to the recovery of Molokai's agriculture industry and overall economy; and

WHEREAS, concerted, comprehensive, and cooperative efforts must be initiated to assess and make improvement recommendations for the MIS; and

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands are requested to work jointly with the Molokai community to develop a plan to improve the Molokai Irrigation System for the long term; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Agribusiness Development Corporation with the assistance of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands shall prepare and submit the plan, their recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the legislature not less than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, and Chairperson of Hawaiian Home Commission.