Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1278 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Improve the water quality of Lake Wilson; and

(2) Reduce contaminated sediments in statewide waterways,

by appropriating funds to develop and demonstrate comprehensive watershed management measures.

The University of Hawaii and Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the intent of this bill. The Department of Health (DOH) opposed this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

Your Committee respectfully requests that your Committee on Finance study the suggestion of DOH to use alternative sources of funding, specifically, funds for polluted runoff control from the federal Clean Water Act, section 319, and private funding. Your Committee notes DOH's concerns that uses of the Environmental Response Revolving Fund have broadened over time, and adequate funds may be unavailable for responding to environmental emergencies.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1278, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1278, H.D. 1.