Makes an appropriation for matching funds from the United States Department of Agriculture for the purchase of development rights of agricultural lands surrounding the Kukaniloko Birthstones in Wahiawa.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Kukaniloko birthstones is one of the most significant cultural sites on Oahu and in Hawaii. The immediate site, comprising of five acres, was acquired by the State from the Galbraith trust in 1992 to become a state historic monument. However, the acquired site is just a part of a much larger complex of historical and cultural significance on the Wahiawa plateau.

The acquired site is surrounded by two thousand four hundred acres of prime agricultural land presently owned by the Galbraith trust and cultivated in pineapple; however, the Galbraith trust is scheduled by law to be dissolved in 2007. This could leave the lands surrounding the state historic monument in jeopardy of being developed and negatively impacting this important cultural site.

The United States Department of Agriculture through its Farmland Protection Program will provide up to fifty per cent of the cost of permanently acquiring the development rights of agricultural lands that are prime, unique, or contain historical and archaeological resources; however, the program requires the State to provide matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to match a grant from the Farmland Protection Program to acquire the development right for the agricultural lands surrounding the Kukaniloko birthstones.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, as matching funds for the acquisition of the development rights for the agricultural lands surrounding the Kukaniloko birthstones.

SECTION 3. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.