STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1034

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   S.B. No. 142

      S.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 142, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DAMS AND RESERVOIRS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect Hawaii's water resources by establishing safeguards and mechanisms to preserve and maintain the State's dams and reservoirs.  Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Statutorily declares that the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) shall:

          (A)  Consider dams and reservoirs as important water resources that provide significant benefits to the public; and

          (B)  Acknowledge the need for dams and reservoirs to be consistently maintained and operated in a safe and feasible manner to sustain their roles as important water resources for the State, provided that public safety concerns are addressed;

          and

     (2)  Clarifies that fees charged by BLNR to cover its costs in administering dam and reservoir safety are to cover a portion of those costs.

     The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company; Kauai Coffee Company; Dole Food Company Hawaii; Grove Farm Company, Inc.; and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in support of the intent of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture provided comments.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 142, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Agriculture,

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair

____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Chair