STAND. COM. REP. NO.  876

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 795

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 795, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CARBON FORESTRY CERTIFICATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) in creating a framework for long-term maintenance support for current and future reforestation projects by:

(1)  Appropriating funds for the certification of a carbon project at Haleakala, Maui under an established forest carbon standard;

(2)  Requiring DLNR to submit annual reports on the carbon project certification of the reforestation project; and

(3)  Clarifying the State's oversight authority over third parties that receive funds related to the carbon project certification.

The Office of Environmental Quality Control, The Nature Conservancy Hawaii, and Sierra Club of Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  DLNR provided comments on this measure.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 795, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair