SR27 SD1

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	27
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE TO PRIORITIZE THE RESTORATION AND PROTECTION OF ADDITIONAL WETLANDS AND ANCHIALINE POOLS.

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 "waters of the State" 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 helps enhance wildfire and drought resistance; reduces the magnitude of floods; and provides 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 Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife is urged to prioritize the restoration and protection of additional wetlands in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Division of Agricultural 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 Division 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 Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Administrator of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and Native Ecosystem Protection and Management Manager.