Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land Use, to which was referred S.B. No. 1167 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to extend the sunset date of Act 380, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, from July 1, 2002 to July 1, 2007.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii. The Sierra Club testified in opposition to the measure.

Your Committee finds that in 1997, the Legislature passed expanded recovery options in the State Environmental Species Act that provided for preparation and implementation of habitat conservation plans, incidental take licenses, safe harbor agreements, and provided additional incentives to private landowners to conserve endangered species. That law, Act 380, established a 5-year sunset date of July 1, 2002 for the approval of habitat conservation plans and safe harbor agreements. This measure will extend the sunset date an additional five years. This is necessary as no habitat conservation plans or safe harbor agreements have been issued under Act 380, although a number of agreements are currently being processed.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land Use that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1167 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.