Report Title:

National Tropical Rain Forest; Task Force; Panaewa Zoo; Grant

Description:

Appropriates funds to County of Hawaii to form a state/county task force to plan and develop a self-financing national tropical rain forest at Panaewa zoo, Big Island.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1031

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

Making an APPROPRIATION TO FORM A TASK FORCE TO PLAN AND DEVELOP A NATIONAL TROPICAL RAIN FOREST AT PANAEWA ZOO.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. For many years, the county of Hawaii has applied its revenues to maintaining a small zoo in Panaewa. The county manages the zoo, rather than contracting with a private management firm or a zoological society. The upkeep and maintenance of the Panaewa zoo has proven to be financially burdensome to the county of Hawaii. Still, the zoo is a charm and an attraction for its location on highway 11 en route to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park from the Hilo international airport. It is five miles from the Banyon drive hotel district, six miles from cruise ships, and is adjacent to the State's Waiakea forest preserve.

To preserve Panaewa zoo, it has been proposed that the zoo be expanded into a "national tropical rain forest attraction". With greater emphasis on flora, the Panaewa zoo site could become a centerpiece of a living laboratory in tropical species preservation. Its relationship to the Waiakea forest preserve and timber interests could provide a model for tropical rain forest timber management. The rain forest theme would attract federal and private research institute grants.

The purpose of this Act is to make a grant to the county of Hawaii to form a task force to plan and develop a self-financed national tropical rain forest at the Panaewa zoo.

SECTION 2. There is established a joint state and Hawaii county task force, under the county of Hawaii, to plan and develop a self-financed national tropical rain forest at the Panaewa zoo, island of Hawaii. The task force shall be composed of representatives selected by the mayor of Hawaii from the department of land and natural resources, county of Hawaii, society for conservation biology, university of Hawaii school of tropical agriculture and human resources, Kohala center, and the United States Department of Agriculture's pacific basin center for agricultural research.

The task force shall report to the legislature on findings and recommendations no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2004.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for a grant-in-aid to the county of Hawaii to form a state and county task force to plan and develop a self-financed national tropical rain forest at the Panaewa zoo, island of Hawaii.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the county of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

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