STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2087

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2271

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2271 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation for research and mitigation efforts to address rapid ohia death disease in the State and require the Department of Agriculture to report on the nature of the disease and actions taken and resources needed to mitigate the disease.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee, Council District 8 of the Hawai‘i County Council, Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance, West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership, Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, and eighty-one individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that ohia makes up about fifty per cent of the State's native forest and is a keystone species in native watershed areas.  Rapid ohia death disease is devastating thousands of acres of native forest on the island of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that rapid ohia death disease is a critical threat to the State's native forests, it is crucial that funds are directed to address this issue.

     Your Committee has noted the testimonies of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources and finds that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is better suited to carry out the requirements of this measure.

     Your Committee has therefore amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing the Department of Agriculture with the Department of Land and Natural Resources as the responsible agency for the report required by this measure and as the recipient and expending agency for the appropriation; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2271, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2271, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture,

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair