THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

42

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE RESOLUTION

 

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO CONSIDER AND INCORPORATE THE IMPORTANCE OF ECONOMIC FACTORS AND IMPACTS IN LAWS, RULES, and policies CONCERNING THE CONSERVATION OF FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.

 

WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is authorized to administer and regulate the State's forestry and other natural resources; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture is authorized to administer and regulate the State's agricultural resources; and

WHEREAS, many well-intentioned laws, rules, and policies are enacted or adopted which focus on the need for environmental preservation and conservation without recognizing the ability of proper resource management to provide the necessary stewardship by affected parties if suitable economic incentives are available; and

WHEREAS, the willingness of private parties and industries to provide the stewardship needed in resource conservation, when accompanied by appropriate economic incentives, must not be ignored or overlooked in these times when severe budget constraints are affecting the ability of all government agencies to carry out their respective functions effectively with limited resources; and

WHEREAS, for example, the State could benefit from that kind of cooperative effort in the harvest and sale of some of the State's timber resources, provided appropriate economic incentives are provided to the commercial timber industry for better forest management practices; and

WHEREAS, the State could also benefit from better management and use of agricultural lands by private parties interested in preserving agriculture in the State with the use of appropriate economic incentives; and

WHEREAS, cooperative and collaborative relationships between government and the private sector would create a win-win situation that will promote economic growth and provide additional sources of income for the State, while simultaneously strengthening the regulation of the State's precious forestry, agricultural, and other natural resources based on sound sustainability principles; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that consideration of economic as well as environmental factors and impacts in the application of laws and adoption of rules and policies concerning forestry and agricultural resources is critical for maintaining a balance in conserving those resources; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture are urged to consider and incorporate the importance of economic factors and impacts in the application of laws and adoption of rules and policies concerning the conservation of forestry and agricultural resources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Urging the DLNR and the DOA to consider and incorporate the importance of economic factors and impacts in laws, rules, and policies concerning the conservation of forestry and agricultural resources.