STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3000

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2077

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2077, S.D. 1, 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 establish and appropriate funds for a tree planting program to plant at least one million native trees in the State per year.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Planning, Trees for Honolulu's Future, Blue Zones Project, and seven individuals.

Your Committee finds that planting trees is an important way to help address the climate crisis and that trees benefit the environment, ecosystem, and human health.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the term "native trees" with the term "appropriate, non-invasive trees," and specifying that preference shall be given to native trees where appropriate;

(2) Requiring the Board of Land and Natural Resources to work in partnership with the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force of the Office of Planning; and

(3) Clarifying that county agencies may receive funding under the Hawaii tree planting program.

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. 2077, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2077, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair