STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1492

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 138

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 138 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO IMPLEMENT XERISCAPING TO DECORATE ROADWAYS, MEDIAL STRIPS, ROUNDABOUTS AND OTHER AREAS UNDER ITS JURISDICTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Transportation to implement xeriscaping to decorate roadways, medial strips, and roundabouts, and other areas under its jurisdiction.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation (Department).

     The goal of xeriscaping is to create a visually attractive landscape by using drought-tolerant plants and grasses in combination with irrigation techniques.  A properly maintained xeriscape can easily use less than one-half the water of a traditional landscape.  A xeriscaped area not only reduces the amount of water used compared to traditional landscapes, but also reduces the amount of maintenance needed for watering, fertilizing, mowing, trimming, and pruning.  Xeriscaping is ideally suited for the needs of the Department and would provide aesthetic, economic, and environmental benefits for the Department and the State.

     According to testimony of the Department, it is in the process of developing its Sustainable Statewide Landscape Master Plan, in which policies and guidelines will be developed for plant selection and maintenance requirements for landscaping projects around the State, including the inclusion of xeriscaping.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 138 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair