STAND. COM. REP. NO. 745

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1088

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1088 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the certification of a reforestation project at Haleakala, Maui, operated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources under an established forest carbon standard certification system.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and Sierra Club of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that carbon projects directly contribute to many sustainability goals of the State and that the Department of Land and Natural Resources proposes to certify a reforestation project on state lands.  Your Committee notes that the Department of Land and Natural Resources has secured funding for the restoration project activities through federal and state resources but needs an initial investment for the certification of the carbon project under an established forest carbon standard.  Your Committee recognizes that this one-time appropriation to support the restoration project serves the public through efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.  Your Committee believes that success of this project will result in converting degraded pastureland back to native forest to sequester carbon, reduce erosion, increase water supply recharge, re-establish endangered species habitat, mitigate wildfire threats, and support numerous other natural and cultural benefits important to the people of Hawaii.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the appropriation amount for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 from $120,000 respectively to an unspecified amount; and

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2099, 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. 1088, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1088, S.D. 1.

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

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair