STAND. COM. REP. NO.146

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 543

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 543 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to issue general obligation bonds and appropriate funds for an agricultural dual line water system in upcountry Kula, Maui, and for capital improvements on the Molokai irrigation system.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Maui Pineapple Company, Ltd., Kula Community Association, Kula Vista Protea, Maui County Farm Bureau, Waiakoa Estates Property Owners Association, the Molokai Farm Bureau, and two individuals. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Board of Agriculture provided testimony in support of the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that the Legislature approved funding for the upcountry Maui dual water line project in last year's budget, however the funding was vetoed by the Governor. The agriculture industry's lifeline is the delivery of reliable irrigation water. This measure provides funding to make necessary improvements to existing systems and developing irrigation systems for existing farming regions currently utilizing domestic water. With the economic recession, financial assistance from private capital is not readily available and because these improvements to water infrastructure are vital for economic recovery, these projects are worthy of support with public funds.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 543 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair