68
THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                    SENATE  RESOLUTION

  ENCOURAGING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII'S HAWAII UNDERSEA RESEARCH
      LABORATORY TO ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH
      THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO OPERATE AN ADVANCED TETHERED
      VEHICLE.


 1          WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii is a world leader in
 2   oceanographic research and engineering tasks; and
 3   
 4          WHEREAS, its Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory excels
 5   in deep submergence operations and has made notable scientific
 6   discoveries; and
 7   
 8          WHEREAS, the acquisition of an advanced tethered vehicle
 9   (ATV), an unmanned vehicle system designed for operation at
10   ocean depths as great as 20,000 feet equipped with a
11   sophisticated package consisting of television cameras, a
12   spreader, drill motor, wrench and rotary saw, and a grabber,
13   will greatly expand the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory's
14   current capability for undersea research at greater depths and
15   in shallower waters where long, continuous bottom time is
16   required; and
17   
18          WHEREAS, the United States Navy has a surplus ATV; and 
19   
20          WHEREAS, it would be beneficial for the Navy to transfer
21   its surplus assets to another governmental agency that has a
22   world-class reputation in oceanographic studies; and
23   
24          WHEREAS, the Navy would benefit from an arrangement
25   which would allow the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at
26   Barking Sands, Kauai, to have priority usage of the ATV for
27   underwater acoustic range maintenance and recovery of various
28   weapons and equipment, emergency operations, and other
29   Department of Defense needs in the Pacific Basin; and
30   
31          WHEREAS, the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory has an
32   open ocean research vessel equipped to handle an ATV and a
33   trained crew that can operate it most cost-effectively; and
34   
35          WHEREAS, the PMRF, with no capability to operate an ATV,

 
Page 2                                                     68
                                  S.R. NO.              
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   would greatly benefit by a partnership agreement with Hawaii
 2   Undersea Research Laboratory; and
 3   
 4          WHEREAS, the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory
 5   envisions deploying the ATV to the National Oceanic and
 6   Atmospheric Administration's West Coast and Polar Center at the
 7   University of Alaska, Fairbanks, for part of the year for
 8   cooperative research arrangements; and
 9   
10          WHEREAS, opportunities to explore the mysteries of the
11   underwater environment promises to lead to new scientific
12   advancements which will benefit the world's peoples; now,
13   therefore,
14   
15          BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth
16   Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000,
17   that the Legislature urges the United States Navy and the
18   Regents of the University of Hawaii to execute a memorandum of
19   understanding transferring an ATV to the Hawaii Undersea
20   Research Laboratory; and
21   
22          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
23   Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United
24   States; the Secretary of Defense; the Secretary of the Navy;
25   the Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Command; the
26   Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet; the Commander,
27   Submarine Force, United States Pacific Fleet; the Commander,
28   PMRF; the President of the University of Hawaii, and the
29   members of Hawaii's Congressional Delegation.
30 
31 
32 
33                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________