Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Water, Land, Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2900 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to continue the efforts of the emergency environmental workforce to improve the State's economy by employing citizens to protect the environment.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii, the project coordinator for the emergency workforce, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, Maui Invasive Species Committee, Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter, Hawaii's Thousand Friends.

Your Committees find that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have resulted in a significant economic downturn in the State. In an effort to assist those people who were displaced as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Legislature enacted Act 4, 2001 Third Special Session, which established an emergency environmental workforce for short-term employment for individuals who lost their jobs.

Your Committees believe this program is an ingenious way of keeping Hawaii's displaced workforce working. The persons employed by the program are providing a much needed service to the community which would otherwise go unfurnished.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Water, Land, Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2900 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.