STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2227

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.C.R. No. 124

S.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 124, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE GOVERNOR, IN COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES, TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A TREE PLANTING PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Governor to establish and implement a tree planting program to plant at least one million new native trees per year over the next four years.

Your committee received testimony in support from the Oahu County Democrats, Trees for Honolulu's Future, Free Access Coalition, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Oahu Island Parks Conservancy, The Outdoor Circle, Kakaako Makai Community Planning Advisory Council, Manoa Outdoor Circle, and three individuals. Your committee received comments from the Department of Land & Natural Resources.

Your committee notes that this resolution calls for an extremely ambitious tree-planting plan, which calculates to about 114 trees per hour if planting continued around the clock.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 124, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair