HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

180

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting the board of agriculture and the agribusiness development corporation to seek federal matching funds for the irrigation repair and maintenance special fund.

 

 

WHEREAS, the Legislature is in the process of establishing the Irrigation Repair and Maintenance Special Fund to be administered by the Board of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Agribusiness Development Corporation; and

WHEREAS, one of the primary functions of the Board of Agriculture is to oversee the development and maintenance of irrigation systems for agricultural purposes; and

WHEREAS, one of the primary purposes of the Agribusiness Development Corporation is to facilitate the transition of agricultural infrastructure from plantation operations into other agricultural enterprises; and

WHEREAS, many of the irrigation systems formerly used and maintained by the sugarcane and pineapple plantations have fallen into disrepair for lack of proper maintenance; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the special fund is to provide for the repair and maintenance of private and public irrigation systems formerly used on sugarcane and pineapple plantation lands that have been converted to diversified agriculture; and

WHEREAS, private landowners may apply for funding assistance from the special fund provided that the landowner:

(1) Provides matching funds equal to the amount received from the special fund;

(2) Agrees to file for designation of the lands within two miles of the water produced by the irrigation system as important agricultural lands pursuant to chapter 205, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

(3) Agrees to use all lands serviced by the irrigation system for the production of diversified agriculture; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature is in the process of appropriating general funds and authorizing the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds to fund the Irrigation Repair and Maintenance Special Fund; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the Senate concurring, that the Board of Agriculture and the Agribusiness Development Corporation are requested to aggressively seek federal matching funds for funds that the State will deposit into the Irrigation Repair and Maintenance Special Fund to fund the repair and maintenance of irrigation systems that support diversified agriculture; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairpersons of the Board of Agriculture and Board of Directors of the Agribusiness Development Corporation and to each member of Hawaii's congressional delegation.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Agribusiness Development Corporation; Irrigation Systems