Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 1081 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide funding to develop an education and job training program center for the Pouhala marsh.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, a City and County of Honolulu council member, Hawaii Nature Center, and the Waipahu Community Association.

The Pouhala marsh consists of a remnant fishpond and coastal marsh located in the western loch of Pearl Harbor on Oahu. Over the years, the marsh has severely and significantly suffered from urban development, water pollution, and alien plant invasion. Recently, the Pouhala Marsh Ecosystem Restoration and Community Development Project has worked to restore the habitat for Hawaiian and migratory birds and to develop a comprehensive natural resources management education and training program.

However, your Committee finds that more work needs to be done to restore the marsh. This measure appropriates moneys to:

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the dollar amount of the appropriation and has left it blank for the Committee on Ways and Means to determine at a later date.

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. 1081, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1081, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.