STAND. COM. REP. NO. 4102

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 75

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 75 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AND PARTNERS TO UTILIZE THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 45-230 KULAULI STREET, KANEOHE, HAWAII, FOR AQUACULTURE PURPOSES THAT WILL NOT UNREASONABLY INTERFERE WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S REGULAR USE OF THE PROPERTY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services and partners to utilize the property located at 45-230 Kulauli street, Kaneohe, Hawaii, for aquaculture purposes that will not unreasonably interfere with the Department's regular use of the property.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program and Pacific American Foundation Hawaii. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the City and County of Honolulu owns a parcel of land that formerly served as the location for the Kaneohe Wastewater Pretreatment Facility. After being decommissioned, the administrative building, digester tanks, and other equipment were demolished, leaving the land unused. Your Committee further finds that the parcel of land is adjacent to Waikalua Loko Fishpond, which is an ancient Hawaiian fishpond. The proximity of the open parcel to the fishpond provides a valuable opportunity to expand aquacultural production in Hawaii. This measure urges the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services to partner with the University of Hawaii and other organizations to use the open parcel of land located at 45-230 Kulauli Street in Kaneohe for aquacultural purposes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 75, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair