STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2773

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2773

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2773, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ALOHA+ CHALLENGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the natural resource management, clean energy, and green workforce development goals of the Aloha+ Challenge.

     Specifically, for fiscal year 2016-2017, this measure appropriates out of the general revenues of the State to the Department of Land and Natural Resources:

     (1)  $2,500,000 to fund positions and other operating expenditures in the forest and outdoor recreation program (LNR804) for access, easements, trails, outdoor recreation improvements, environmental education, and other operating expenditures;

     (2)  $4,000,000 to fund other operating expenditures in the natural area reserves and watershed management program (LNR407) for watershed protection;

     (3)  $1,200,000 for the conservation and resources enforcement program (LNR405) for personal services, other current expenses, equipment, and motor vehicles for the community fisheries enforcement unit;

     (4)  $5,250,000 for the native resources and fire protection program (LNR402) to be expended as directed by the Hawaii Invasive Species Council for invasive species programs statewide; provided that portions of this appropriation may be transferred to other state departments to implement the directions of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council;

     (5)  $3,600,000 to fund positions and other operating expenditures in the native resources and fire protection program (LNR402) for native species restoration; and

     (6)  $3,500,000 to fund positions and other operating expenditures in the forestry resource management and development program (LNR172) for forest reserve system management, including pre-fire suppression of high fuel areas, private landowner assistance programs, establishing renewable energy projects with forest biomass, and generation of new forestry revenue streams, such as through the carbon market.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaii Invasive Species Council; Board of Water Supply, City and County of Honolulu; Department of Water, County of Kauai; Kauai Watershed Alliance; Kauai Invasive Species Committee; Oahu Invasive Species Committee; Conservation Council for Hawaii; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; The Nature Conservancy; Hawaii Green Growth; and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that through the adoption of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 69, S.D. 1, Regular Session of 2014, the Legislature endorsed and supported a shared statewide commitment to sustainability through the integrated approach and targets of the Aloha+ Challenge to be achieved by 2030.  Your Committee recognizes that funding efforts to reach these goals are essential to preserve Hawaii's environment, improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, and maintain important revenue streams in Hawaii's economy.  Your Committee believes that this measure will support natural resource management and increase the number of green workforce jobs and training opportunities, each of which is essential to the overall success of the Aloha+ Challenge.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing all of the appropriations in the measure to unspecified amounts and changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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 S.B. No. 2773, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2773, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair