THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2062
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to conservation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that "land ownership" was a foreign concept to the ancient Hawaiians.  Instead, land was divided into ahupua‘a, sections of land that extended from the mountain summit to the outer edge of the reef.  The ahupua‘a formed a self-contained economic and social unit that effectively integrated the uses of its resources.  Resources on the land were rarely tainted or overused because the entire ahupua‘a was managed carefully by the Hawaiian people.  Today, this ancient system is viewed by many as an excellent model for resource management.

     The legislature finds that this same system of resource management is important to our watersheds, as what happens in the upstream areas greatly affect the downstream communities, and unless water quantity and quality are managed carefully, as the Hawaiians did in the ahupua‘a systems, contaminant-spreading vehicles like flooding and nonpoint source pollution will threaten our environment.

     This purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the natural area reserve fund for watershed protection.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for deposit into the natural area reserve fund established pursuant to section 195-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the natural area reserve fund the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for identification, establishment, and management of natural area reserves related to watershed protection and the acquisition of private lands for new natural area reserves related to watershed protection.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2014.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Natural Area Reserve Fund; Watershed Protection; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to the natural area reserve fund for watershed protection.

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