STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2263

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.C.R. No. 28

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 28 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO MANAGE THE WAI‘ANAE KAI FOREST AND RESTORE WATER FLOW IN WAI‘ANAE STREAMS FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN TRADITIONAL AND CUSTOMARY PRACTICES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WAI‘ANAE KAI WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS PLAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Land and Natural Resources to:

(1) Ensure water flow from the perched aquifers located in the upper reaches of the Wai‘anae Watershed for Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices;

(2) Implement the Wai‘anae Kai wildfire preparedness plan; and

(3) Effectively manage the Wai‘anae Kai Forest Reserve, and restore the areas burned during the August 2018 fire, with native trees and shrubs.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Ke One O Kākuhihewa, and Kanehili Cultural Hui submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs submitted comments on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 28 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair