STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2777

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2904

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. 2904 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUATIC MITIGATION BANKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and operate aquatic mitigation banks to restore, create, enhance, or preserve aquatic habitats or resources as compensatory mitigation.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

     Your Committee finds that authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and operate aquatic mitigation banks to restore, create, enhance, or preserve aquatic habitats or resources as compensatory mitigation will provide the department with an important mechanism to address the increasing adverse impacts to the State's aquatic public trust resources and habitats.

     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. 2904 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair