WHEREAS, the State Planning Act requires planning for the state's physical environment to be directed towards prudent use of Hawaii's land-based, shoreline, and marine resources, and effective protection of Hawaii's unique and fragile environmental resources; and

WHEREAS, the State Planning Act also requires the State to manage natural resources to encourage their beneficial and multiple use without generating costly or irreparable environmental damage, encourage the protection of rare or endangered plant and animal species and habitats, and pursue compatible relationships among activities, facilities, and natural resources; and

WHEREAS, the State Water Code states that the waters of the state are held and protected for the benefit of the citizens of the state, and acknowledges that a program of comprehensive water resources planning to address the problems of supply and conservation of water is needed; and

WHEREAS, golf course development is said to have adverse environmental consequences for the water supply and ecology; and

WHEREAS, golf course development may have a significant impact on the land ecosystem through the removal of natural trees and vegetation from the land, the planting and maintaining of non-native grass, trees, and shrubs; and

WHEREAS, large amounts of Hawaii's limited water resources are needed to maintain the golf course, and this water is diverted from other potential uses; and

WHEREAS, maintaining the greens and fairways also requires the use of fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, which may cause contamination of groundwater aquifers, surface waters, and shoreline ocean waters; and

WHEREAS, there are already 88 golf courses in Hawaii, and two more are being built on the Big Island; and

WHEREAS, an analysis of the environmental impact of existing golf courses in Hawaii on our land, ocean, and water resources is necessary and must be considered in the context of the goals of our State Plan and Water Code prior to authorizing any new golf course development; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Planning is required to conduct special studies and prepare reports that address major policy issues relating to statewide growth and development; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the counties are urged to suspend consideration until July 1, 2010, of all golf course project applications as of the date this Resolution is adopted; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning is urged to perform a comprehensive study to:

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning is requested to submit to the Legislature a report on its findings and recommendations, including evaluation of impact, boundaries, plans for environmentally-sound and sustainable golf course development, and necessary proposed legislation no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in performing this study, the Office of Planning is requested to solicit and carefully consider appropriate input from golf course architects, engineers, and developers, county governments, environmental groups, local golf associations, and members of affected communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Mayors and Directors of the county planning departments of the County of Hawaii, County of Maui, County of Kauai, and City and County of Honolulu, and the Director of the Office of Planning.

Report Title:

Urging the counties to stop considering golf course development.