STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1893

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 84

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 84 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING ENDORSEMENT OF THE EARTH CHARTER AND ADOPTION OF ITS CENTRAL PRINCIPLES AS PART OF THE FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Assert the State of Hawaii's endorsement of the Earth Charter as part of a framework for sustainable planning and development; and

     (2)  Urge the Governor, mayors, county councils, and the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force to adopt and utilize the Earth Charter as part of a framework for sustainable planning.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the United Nations Association of the United States of America, Hawaii Division; the Hawaii Conservation Alliance; the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition-Hawaii; and one individual.  One individual submitted testimony in opposition.

     Before officially adopting the Earth Charter, your Committees request further opportunity to study the Charter and determine whether its provisions are applicable and appropriate for Hawaii to adopt and use as a framework for sustainable planning and development.  Furthermore, your Committees believe that the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force is already using an appropriate framework to establish the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan.

     Thus, your Committees have amended this measure by deleting its title and contents and replacing it with language from H.C.R. No. 199, H.D. 1, which requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources to report to the Legislature on existing marine protected areas.  The report is to include:

     (1)  An inventory of all marine protected areas in the State where fishing is restricted;

     (2)  The stated objectives or goals for each marine protected area;

     (3)  A description of the management strategy, baseline data, and controls used in the establishment of each of the current marine protected areas;

     (4)  A description of the monitoring, control, and enforcement programs implemented by the respective divisions in support of each marine protected area;

     (5)  A descriptive evaluation and summary analysis of the effectiveness of each marine protected area in:

          (A)  Achieving the stated management objectives or goals; and

          (B)  Fulfilling the monitoring, control, and enforcement programs; and

     (6)  A summary of public comments and responses on the draft report to the Legislature, to be collected following public meeting in each county.

     Your Committees have further amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 84, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 84, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair