STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1465

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1478

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1478, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS HUMPBACK WHALE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to codify the State's role in co-managing the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Establishes the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary program to coordinate and fulfill the State's management duties relating to the Sanctuary;

     (2)  Establishes a Sanctuary co-manager position within the program to represent the State in management of the Sanctuary; and

     (3)  Appropriates moneys to establish the Sanctuary co-manager position and for costs relating to the State's co-management of the Sanctuary.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Office of Planning, the Hawaii National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Aqua Lung Pacific, the Conservation Council for Hawaii, Hawaii Green Growth, the Hawaii Audubon Society, Kuaaina Ulu Auamo, the Ocean Tourism Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, forty-five signatories to a petition from Hawaii Pacific University, and twelve individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary provides an essential habitat for breeding, calving, and nursing activities of the endangered North Pacific Humpback Whale.  Your Committee further finds that the State and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration entered into a compact for co-management of the Sanctuary to improve interagency coordination and to enhance management of Hawaii's humpback whales and other marine resources.  Your Committee believes that this measure will help clarify the State's role in co-managing the Sanctuary.

     Your Committee notes that, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources' written comments, the salary and other costs for the 1.0 FTE co-manager position are estimated to be $117,500 per fiscal year.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1478, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1478, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair