Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, Energy and Environment and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 881 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide an appropriation for the Maui Invasive Species Committee to continue the group's program of early eradication of invasive pests on Maui.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, three members of the Maui County Council, the Maui Invasive Species Committee, the Oahu Invasive Species Committee, the Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy, Life of the Land, and one individual.

Your Committees find that since 1991, the members of various federal, state, county, private, and nonprofit agencies on Maui have worked together to create and implement a dynamic plan to control or eradicate invasive pests in Maui county. This partnership effort has made significant progress, but continues to struggle with a few species such as the plant miconia and the coqui frog, which are threatening to spread beyond control.

Your Committees are strongly supportive of this public-private partnership and its work in protecting Hawaii's irreplaceable natural resources.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Energy and Environment and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 881 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.