STAND. COM. REP. 3271

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2716

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2716 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SOUTH KONA WILDERNESS AREA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to conduct an appraisal of private lands in the South Kona Wilderness Area for a possible purchase or land exchange by the State.

The bill also provides a blank appropriation for the appraisal and requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to report back to the Legislature prior to the regular session of 2005 before any formal action is taken with respect to the Wilderness Area.

The South Kona Wilderness Area was established under Act 59, Session Laws of Hawaii 2003. The Area is of great cultural and historical significance because of its extensive archaeological sites, including ancient homesites, a holua slide, a heiau, and burial caves. According to Act 59, plans to preserve the Area will:

(1) Protect native Hawaiian plants and animals;

(2) Provide a wilderness area with minimal man-made structures;

(3) Permit limited access for recreational purposes; and

(4) Prevent additional development in the Area.

This bill is the first step in acquiring private land in the Area to fulfill the objectives of Act 59.

Your Committee has amended the bill by changing the effective date to February 29, 2010 to promote further discussion on this matter.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2716, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2716, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair