STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1365

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.C.R. No. 102

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 102 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO IMPLEMENT DIFFERENTIATED WATER TOLL RATES AND CHARGES FOR THE HAMAKUA DISTRICT IRRIGATION SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support agriculture by encouraging the Department of Agriculture to implement differentiated toll rates for water usage throughout the State based on the type of irrigation system used and class of user, starting with the Hamakua District irrigation system.  

Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; 4 Ag Hawaii; Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association; Wong's Meat Market, Ltd.; Ponoholo Ranch, Ltd.; Ulupono Initiative; and a few individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture opposed this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 102 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair