HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

182

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE marine and coastal zone management advisory group TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR A WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM.

 

 

WHEREAS, chapter 205A, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), describes objectives and policies of the coastal zone management program; and

WHEREAS, one of the policies of chapter 205A is to improve the technical basis for natural resource management of coastal ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature declared in section 205A-21, HRS, that it is state policy to preserve, protect, and, where possible, restore the natural resources of the coastal zone of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, to meet the intent of the law, the State needs to develop a consistent regional database of water quality, marine life, and coastal zone use; and

WHEREAS, coastal zone development projects must be monitored to determine their potential impacts on the natural resources of coastal zones during and after development; and

WHEREAS, in 1992, the West Hawaii Coastal Monitoring Task Force, a group composed of county, state, and federal agencies, as well as private sector interests, developed the West Hawaii Coastal Monitoring Task Force Monitoring Protocol Guidelines (West Hawaii Guidelines) which included comprehensive recommendations for environmental monitoring of coastal development projects and environmental conditions following development; and

WHEREAS, the Marine and Coastal Zone Management Advisory Group (MACZMAG) established under section 205A-3.5, HRS, is authorized under subsection (d) to establish working groups as needed; 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 MACZMAG is requested to convene a working group to review the West Hawaii Guidelines and make recommendations for a statewide coastal zone water quality monitoring program modeled after the West Hawaii Guidelines; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group shall represent a balanced and fair cross-section of public and private stakeholders; provided that the composition of the working group include but not be limited to the following:

(1) The Chairperson of the State Commission on Water Resource Management, or the Chairperson's representative;

(2) The Director of the Office of Planning, or the Director's representative;

(3) The Director of Health, or the Director's representative;

(4) The Chairperson of MACZMAG, or the Chairperson's representative;

(5) A representative of each of the county planning departments;

(6) A representative of the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Program; and

(7) Other members that MACZMAG deems necessary to represent public and private interests, including environmental groups and private landowners;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of MACZMAG, Chairperson of the State Commission on Water Resource Management, Director of the Office of Planning, Director of Health, the head of each county planning department, and the Director of the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Program.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Establishes a working group to develop a coastal zone water quality monitoring program.