STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2075

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3330

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 3330 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUPUKEA MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION DISTRICT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and conduct the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District carrying capacity pilot program and appropriate funds for the program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea, Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Hi‘ipaka LLC, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of Hanauma Bay, and eighteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District, a one hundred-acre marine life reserve, is one of only three state-designated marine life conservation districts on the island of Oahu; the other two districts are Hanauma Bay and Waikiki. In contrast to Hanauma Bay, which has many protections ranging from limited foot and vehicle traffic to a reservation system and twice weekly closure requirements, the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District and the associated Waimea and Pupukea Beach Parks, Kapoo Tidepools, and Shark's Cove areas are accessible from multiple locations along the shoreline and adjacent beach parks, every day of the week, all year long. The results of unlimited human access to sensitive areas of the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District include but are not limited to: trampling of marine life, damage to the marine habitat, damage to coral, harassment and touching of marine life, disrespect to cultural norms, and increased pollution.

This measure will require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and conduct the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District carrying capacity pilot program to ensure proper management of this important resource.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 3330, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3330, 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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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair