STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3476

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 147

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 147 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO REGULARLY CONSULT WITH HO‘OLAULIMA IA KAWAI NUI TO COORDINATE EFFORTS TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND MAINTAIN THE NATURAL, CULTURAL, AND SCENIC RESOURCES OF KAWAI NUI MARSH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to regularly consult with Ho‘olaulima Ia Kawai Nui to coordinate efforts to protect, preserve, and maintain the natural, cultural, and scenic resources of Kawainui Marsh.

     Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.  ‘Ahahui Malama I Ka Lokahi and Kawai Nui Heritage Foundation submitted testimony in support with proposed amendments.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the Windward Ahupua‘a Alliance.

     Your Committee finds that despite their significance to Hawaii's environment, wetlands such as Kawainui Marsh are increasingly threatened by urban sprawl as the wetlands are drained, dredged, and filled to provide land for residential and commercial development.  Your Committee further finds that since 2003, Ho‘olaulima ia Kawai Nui has been actively advocating to unite county, state, and federal agencies to further the goal of consolidating the ownership of the Kawainui/Hamakua Marsh complex under the State.  It is the recommendation of your Committee that the Department of Land and Natural Resources regularly consult with Ho‘olaulima ia Kawai Nui and other interested stakeholders regarding the Kawainui/Hamakua Marsh complex.

     Your Committee has amended this measure and its title by:

     (1)  Amending references to "Kawai Nui" to "Kawainui" to accurately reflect the historical spelling of this place name;

     (2)  Amending references to "Kawai Nui Marsh" to the "Kawainui/Hamakua Marsh complex" to reflect the inclusion of the Hamakua wetlands and related waterways that enter and leave the Kawainui Marsh;

     (3)  Providing for the inclusion of interested stakeholders in consultations between Ho‘olaulima ia Kawai Nui and the Department of Land and Natural Resources and changing the focus of the consultations to coordinating efforts to protect, conserve, and restore the natural, cultural, and scenic resources of the Kawainui/Hamakua Marsh Complex; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive, amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 147, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 147, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair