STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3665

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     H.B. No. 1987

        H.D. 1

        S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1987, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STREAMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote better management of Hawaii's water resources by appropriating funds and requiring the Commission on Water Resource Management to contract with the United States Geological Survey to conduct a five-year study on streamflow in the State.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Board of Water Supply, Ulupono Initiative, and Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai`i.

 

     Your Committee finds that as climate change affects rainfall, stream flows must be regularly studied to ascertain any detrimental impacts to habitat and surface water diversions.

 

     Your Committee notes that the Commission on Water Resource Management requested an appropriation of $400,000 for the purposes of this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the requirement that the Commission on Water Resource Management contract with the United States Geological Survey for the streamflow study is subject to the approval of the United States Geological Survey;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the Commission on Water Resource Management shall submit to the Legislature:

 

          (A)  Preliminary reports on the streamflow study's progress no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Sessions of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022; and

 

          (B)  A final report on the streamflow study no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023;

 

     (3)  Changing all amounts appropriated to or to be expended by the Commission on Water Resource Management to unspecified sums; and

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1987, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1987, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair