HB3285

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Act 122, Session Laws of Hawaii 1961, stated as policy:

To meet the growing need for domestic, municipal, agricultural and industrial uses, it is necessary that the groundwater resources of the State be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent to which they are capable, that the threat of exhaustion, depletion, waste, pollution or deterioration by salt encroachment, and the unreasonable method of diversion, withdrawal or use of groundwater resources be prevented and that the supply and quality of such water resources be protected, conserved and controlled to assure their reasonable and beneficial use in the interest of the people of the State.

The legislature further finds that, in the 1980s, the department of land and natural resources, along with hydrologists from the University of Hawaii, developed a model to determine the sustainable yields for groundwater aquifers in Hawaii. In some cases, however, the sustainable yields predicted by the model did not correlate to the conditions in the aquifer that were actually observed.

The legislature further finds that major revisions have been made to the sustainable yield estimates of certain aquifers as new data have become available. Because the sustainable yield estimates are the official estimates that are used for regulatory, planning, and development purposes, it is vital that these estimates reflect information and interpretations from nongovernmental as well as governmental sources of information.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a sustainable yield advisory committee to the commission on water resource management to review interpretations of data and add input using additional data from nongovernmental sources on the sustainable yield of groundwater resources.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established the advisory committee on sustainable yield, which shall be composed of seven members, to be appointed by the chairperson of the commission on water resource management, as follows:

(1) Three groundwater geologists, each with at least five years of field experience in Hawaii;

(2) Three engineer-hydrologists, each with five years of field experience; and

(3) One geologist from the Hawaii volcano observatory.

The advisory committee shall elect a chairperson from among its members. Members shall serve until December 31, 2009. The members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(b) The advisory committee on sustainable yield shall:

(1) Advise the commission on water resource management on the process and information necessary to revise existing sustainable yield estimates;

(2) Review and add additional interpretation and input from nongovernmental and governmental sources on groundwater resources; and

(3) Make recommendations to the commission on water resource management on targets of data that are required for each hydrologic unit in order to revise the sustainable yield for those units.

(c) The advisory committee on sustainable yield shall submit a preliminary report of its findings regarding the issues set forth in subsection (b) to the commission on water resource management and to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2009, and shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations regarding the issues set forth in subsection (b), including any proposed legislation, to the commission on water resource management and to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2010.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the purposes of this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	3285
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII