HCR199 HD1

WHEREAS, wetlands are a vital part of Hawaii's environment and ecosystem, and the State has an obligation to protect them; and

WHEREAS, the State's water quality standards and other legal protections that apply to stream systems and state waters also apply to Hawaii's wetlands; and

WHEREAS, the County of Maui requires wetlands to be restored and protected beyond what is minimally required by the Clean Water Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, or other federal laws, and requires all discretionary permits issued by the County to comply with this policy; and

WHEREAS, the protection and restoration of wetlands help enhance wildfire and drought resistance; reduce the magnitude of floods; and provide valuable habitats for flora, fauna, and endangered species; and

WHEREAS, wetlands also act as filters for stream, storm, and urban runoff, preventing high levels of sediment from reaching the ocean; and

WHEREAS, without the natural filters offered by wetlands, coral reefs, aquatic life, and recreational ocean activities would be threatened; and

WHEREAS, it is financially prudent for the State to prevent the degradation of wetlands because, once degraded, wetlands can be cost-prohibitive to restore and maintain; and

WHEREAS, without further protections, the State's anchialine pools are also at risk of degradation, threating the pools' rare ecosystems and species; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is urged to prioritize the restoration and protection of additional wetlands in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Division of Aquatic Resources of the Department of Land and Natural Resources is also urged to apply the protective policies afforded to wetlands to the State's anchialine pools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County of Maui is requested to ensure that the protection of wetlands, especially wetlands in Kihei on the Island of Maui, is prioritized over development concerns, where feasible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Administrator of the Division of Aquatic Resources of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Mayor of the County of Maui.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	199
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII