STAND. COM. REP. NO. 755

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1237

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1237 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide an effective means of protecting Hawaii's fragile environment from noxious trees by:

(1) Permitting private and public landowners of conservation-zoned lands to remove noxious trees identified by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) by applying for a site plan approval permit from DLNR; and

(2) Exempting an application for a site plan approval permit from the requirements of an environmental assessment and an environmental impact statement, except where DLNR determines that the removal of the alien plant species will have a significant effect on the environment.

A member of the Maui County Council supported this bill. Two concerned individuals supported this measure with amendments. The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii supported the intent of this bill. DLNR opposed this measure. The Environmental Center of the University of Hawaii provided comments on this bill.

Your Committees find that an expedited permitting process is necessary to deal with fast-spreading and harmful alien plant species that are devastating Hawaii's environment. Further, your Committees find that the phrase "noxious trees" may cause confusion and limit the effectiveness of this bill in combating alien plant species.

Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1) Clarifying and making more accurate the purpose section;

(2) Changing "noxious trees" to "alien plant species" and providing a definition therefor;

(3) Changing "site plan approval permit" to "permit and site plan approval";

(4) Deleting the requirement that DLNR first identify alien plant species before a landowner can apply for the expedited permit and site plan approval from DLNR; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1237, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1237, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair

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EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair