STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2334

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2077

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2077 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a tree planting program in the State; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning, Department of Land and Natural Resources Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Americans for Democratic Action, Life of the Land, and Trees for Honolulu's Future. The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that since western contact, Hawaii has lost nearly half of its native forest cover and the State's forests continue to be reduced by invasive species and wildfires. In recent years, Hawaii's cities have also experienced a dramatic decline in their urban tree cover, with Honolulu seeing a five per cent decline of its urban tree cover in less than a four-year period. This measure will establish a Hawaii tree planting program which will expand the urban, peri-urban, and rural tree canopies throughout the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the sunset date and inserting a blank date;

(2) Inserting appropriate appropriation language; and

(3) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2033, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2077, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2077, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair