STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2921

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 151

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Tourism, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 151 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEVELOPMENT AND AIRING OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON COMMERCIAL PASSENGER AIR FLIGHTS TO THE STATE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CARING FOR THE STATE'S UNIQUE AND FRAGILE ECOSYSTEM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the development and airing of public service announcements on commercial passenger air flights to the State on the importance of caring for the State's unique and fragile ecosystem.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by one federal agency, five organizations, and five individuals.  One state agency submitted testimony in opposition.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the rarest marine mammals in the world, and among the world's most endangered species, with the population currently declining at four per cent annually and estimated at fewer than one thousand two hundred individuals.  In 2008, the Hawaiian monk seal was designated as the State's mammal to increase awareness of it as an endangered species with the hope that this awareness would result in increased protection and its repopulation.  Two recent incidents of intentionally killed monk seals on Kauai and one on Molokai have brought attention to the human threat to the seals.  In September, a Kauai man plead guilty to shooting a seal in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act and received a ninety-day jail term, one year supervised release, and a $25 fine.  Your Committees are concerned that such a sentence sends the wrong message to Hawaii residents and visitors regarding the value of the Hawaiian monk seal. 

Your Committees find that a comprehensive outreach program for Hawaii residents and visitors regarding the importance of the Hawaiian monk seal and other endangered Hawaiian flora and fauna needs to be firmly established.  Hawaii residents and visitors need ready-access to information on the State's unique and fragile ecosystems, recommendations on how to care for the State's ecosystems, and information on how to behave if one comes into contact with a Hawaiian monk seal.  Your Committees recognize the concerns of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and hope that they will use their best efforts to encourage commercial passenger airlines to air the public service announcements and also find other venues to reach Hawaii residents and visitors.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 151 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Tourism,

____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair