STAND. COM. REP. NO.  15

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 561

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 561 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATERSHED INITIATIVES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Watershed Initiatives Program within the Department of Land and Natural Resources that shall plan, monitor, and execute watershed protection initiatives.

The Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments on this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 561 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair