STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1222

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 42

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Government Operations, Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 42 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING STATE AND COUNTY AGENCIES TO UPDATE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES TO ADOPT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS THAT ARE AT LEAST AS STRINGENT AS THE FEDERAL STANDARDS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016, OR JANUARY 1, 2017, WHICHEVER ARE MORE STRINGENT,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the applicable state and county agencies to update their administrative rules to retain or implement environmental protection standards found in specified federal laws in existence as of January 1, 2016, or January 1, 2017, whichever provide more stringent standards, regardless of actions taken at the federal level.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Animal Rights Hawaii, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, and six individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from Life of the Land.

 

     Your Committees find that it will increasingly be the responsibility of state and local governments to safeguard their land and water resources, protect endangered species, and preserve air quality.  Your Committees note that Hawaii, with its exceptional, unique, and delicately balanced resources, the protection of which is vital to the health of the people and economy of the State, must remain vigilant in efforts to preserve its abundance of natural resources.  Your Committees find that this is a public health matter of significant importance, and encouraging local leadership to take accountability and assist in ensuring strong environmental standards at a local level will benefit all people of Hawaii.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations, Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 42 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations, Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, and Agriculture and Environment,

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

 

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair