Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 78 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to form a task force to recommend solutions to abate and prevent the accumulation of sediment in Wailoa River and Hilo Bay.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Testimony in opposition was received from one individual.

The Wailoa River discharges into Hilo Bay and is one of the major sources of sediment in Hilo Bay. The movement of water of the Wailoa River is generally insufficient to flush out silt and mud. Wailoa River and Hilo Bay are subject to chronic nonpoint source sewage pollution with high bacterial counts.

Your Committee finds that the sediment accumulation in the Wailoa River eventually deposits into the Hilo Bay which causes water pollution of the bay and is a public health hazard.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the task force and substituting language to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to study the problem and make recommendations to the Legislature before the 2007 Session, and by changing the title of this measure accordingly.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 78, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 78, S.D. 1.