STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3101

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1750

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1750, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER MANAGEMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the State and counties to consider storm water management in the development of the Hawaii Water Resource Protection Plan.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau and two individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     Your Committees find that increased storm events followed by prolonged droughts make management of storm water as a resource an important part of addressing Hawaii's need for water.  Storm water capture, reuse, and reclamation for augmenting and conserving Hawaii's fresh water supplies are necessary to ensure the State's fresh water supply meets current and future demand.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Making it effective upon its approval; and

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1750, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1750, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Government Operations,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair