HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

168

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

SUPPORTING THE UNITED STATES NAVY'S REQUEST TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PUMPING AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN MANA, KAUAI, IN EXCHANGE FOR A LONG-TERM LEASE OF STATE LANDS ON WHICH THE PUMPing AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS ARE LOCATED AS WELL AS the retention of A PERMANENT AGRICULTURAL BUFFER FOR THE PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY.

 

 

WHEREAS, since the creation of a military base at Barking Sands, Kauai, before World War II, the military has co-existed compatibly with agricultural interests on Kauai; and

WHEREAS, now known as the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), this military base has developed into an integral part of Kauai's economy:

(1) By directly accounting for approximately 25 percent of Kauai's federal jobs and 19 percent of all government jobs on Kauai;

(2) With its visiting personnel and technicians; and

(3) With its $164 million budget for fiscal year 2003;

and

WHEREAS, PMRF has evolved into a major research, development, testing, and evaluation center with the potential for more growth, which would spur the development of additional jobs; and

WHEREAS, many of these jobs are of a high-tech nature, the creation of which has long been recognized as essential to diversifying Hawaii's tourism-based economy; in turn, these jobs have spurred the creation of numerous high-tech companies on Kauai and elsewhere in the State; and

WHEREAS, these jobs are a natural complement to other United States Department of Defense (USDOD) initiatives in Hawaii, such as the Air Force's High-Performance Computing Center, Space Surveillance System, and telescopes on Maui, which advance Hawaii's potential to compete in the evolving global economy of information technology; and

WHEREAS, a major beneficiary of these USDOD technology programs is the University of Hawaii, which holds the contract to operate the High-Performance Computing Center; and

WHEREAS, all of these jobs were created without any incentives, tax or otherwise, being directly provided by the State; and

WHEREAS, these USDOD technology programs have the potential for dual-use application, which could benefit the people of Hawaii, such as the Navy's recent experiments with renewable energy generation using wave power off Marine Corps Base Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the residents of Kauai have long benefited from PMRF's and the Navy's presence in many other ways, from supplying emergency relief after Hurricane Iniki, providing emergency medical airlift capacity, supporting technology improvements at Kauai, Waimea, and Kapaa high schools to repairing and grading the road to Polihale State Park at no cost to the county or State; and

WHEREAS, much of the vast acreage in Mana between PMRF and Kekaha town is below sea level and was once covered with water; however, due to the continuous pumping and drainage systems previously maintained by the Kekaha Sugar Company, this submerged area was transformed into rich agricultural lands producing the highest sugar cane yields in the state and perhaps the world; and

WHEREAS, to maintain this agricultural presence and to prevent the entire area from returning to its submerged state, the Navy has expressed a willingness to assume responsibility for the continuous operation and maintenance of the pumping and drainage systems at an annual cost of $1 million in exchange for:

(1) Assurance that state lands that adjoin the inland perimeter of PMRF be permanently retained in agriculture to provide a necessary buffer; and

(2) A long-term lease of state lands on which the pumping and drainage systems are located to justify the expenditure of federal funds;

and

WHEREAS, a compatible agricultural buffer on the inland perimeter of PMRF would provide needed assurance of minimal interference with the Navy's vital testing, research, development, and evaluation activities; and

WHEREAS, such activities would also help promote further investments and generate high tech jobs at PMRF and in the state; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the Senate concurring, that this body:

(1) Recognizes the Navy's many, long-standing contributions to the County of Kauai and the State of Hawaii;

(2) Supports the Navy's request for:

(a) A long-term lease of state lands in Mana on which the pumping and drainage systems are located;

(b) The permanent retention of agricultural activities on state lands bordering the inland perimeter of PMRF;

and

(3) Urges the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to support the Navy's request;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Hawaii's Congressional delegation, the Chairperson and members of BLNR, the Mayor of the County of Kauai, the Kauai County Council, the Commander of the United States Pacific Command, the Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, the Commander of Navy Region Hawaii, and the Commanding Officer of PMRF.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

SUPPORTING THE REQUEST BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PUMPING AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN MANA, KAUAI IN EXCHANGE FOR A LONG-TERM LEASE OF STATE LANDS ON WHICH THE PUMPING AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS ARE LOCATED AS WELL AS THE RETENTION OF A PERMANENT AGRICULTURAL BUFFER FOR THE PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY.