STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2057

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2056

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2056 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOIL CLASSIFICATIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to conduct a study of the suitability of the Land Study Bureau soil overall (master) productivity rating system in the regulation of agricultural lands in the State and make recommendations for the use of soil classification systems for agricultural land use regulation; and

(2) Appropriate funding for the study.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Hawaii State Energy Office, and the University of Hawai‘i System. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committees find that the State has not completed a comprehensive soil study or completed a sufficient agricultural soil mapping in over fifty years. The first and only statewide soil mapping, classification, and characterization study was conducted by the Land Study Bureau of the University of Hawaii from 1965 to 1972. As the Land Study Bureau classification system reflects the agricultural activities of plantation sugar cane and pineapple production prevalent at the time of the study, the data does not accurately reflect the current conditions of soil in the State.

To meet key state food sustainability goals, an accurate, updated soil dataset must be collected to reflect soil characteristics, soil properties, and soil suitability for various purposes, including optimization for public and private investments in Hawaii's agriculture. This measure will allow the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to conduct a study of the suitability of the Land Study Bureau soil overall (master) productivity rating system and other soil classification systems that govern regulations of agricultural lands in the State and report findings and recommendations for the use of soil classification systems for agricultural land use.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2056 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair