STAND. COM. REP. NO. 273

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1219

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1219 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LANAI WATERSHED,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to implement a Lana‘ihale Watershed Management Plan to protect Lana‘ihale, which is a critical fresh water recharge area for the Island of Lanai.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Ocean Tourism Coalition; and Conservation Council for Hawai‘i.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     Your Committee finds that more than sixty-five percent of the Island of Lanai's primary aquifer's recharge comes from fog drip, and that the aquifer is the only viable water source for the island.  Studies indicate that the forest area around Lana‘ihale contributes to fog drip, and that the loss of forest cover will reduce precipitation and recharge of the aquifer.  Your Committee finds that the implementation of a watershed management plan will contribute to the protection of the forest.

     Your Committee recognizes and appreciates the testimony received in support of the measure as originally drafted.  However, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the appropriation of General Fund monies to support the Lana‘ihale Watershed Management Plan;

     (2)  Inserting a provision that requires solely private sources of funding to establish and maintain the Lana‘ihale Watershed Management Plan; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1219, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1219, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair