STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1153

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1352

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land, Agriculture and Environment, and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1352, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SURPLUS MILITARY LAND,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Office of Planning to submit a report to the Legislature containing the following:

(1) An inventory of lands within the State that are leased from the federal government or under federal government control, to be prepared by the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

(2) Any known contaminants or environmental hazards discovered on the inventoried lands or associated with past environmental studies performed in connection with those lands, to be prepared by the Department of Health in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency;

(3) Input from departments and agencies on proposed alternative uses for the lands; and

(4) Its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, based on the information above.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna, Aloha Hawaii Onipaa, and eight individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of Planning.

Your Committees find that it is in the public's best interest to preserve and protect Hawaii's natural resources and environment. This measure is a proactive step to ensure adequate environmental remediation of the lands leased to the federal government.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the inventory of lands contained in the report identify lands that are leased to the federal government instead of lands that are leased from the federal government;

(2) Requiring that the report contain input from all executive branch departments and agencies and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on remediation and restoration needs and on proposed alternative uses of the lands identified in the inventory of lands contained in the report; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land, Agriculture and Environment, and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1352, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1352, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land, Agriculture and Environment, and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair	________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair
	________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair