STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1037

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 46

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 46 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ESTABLISH A KONA AREA AGRICULTURAL WORKING GROUP TO PROMOTE AGRICULTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Agriculture to establish a Kona area agricultural working group to promote agriculture, economic development, and housing.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committee finds that currently in the Kona area, 1,800,000 gallons of potential irrigation water will continue to be wasted daily for the lack of transmission infrastructure; the Keahole Agricultural Park that was intended to combine and concentrate agricultural activities for the purpose of production and distribution still remains a relatively minor player in Hawaii island's economy; farmers continue to be frustrated by the lack of available land, high costs of irrigation, and the inability to live where they farm; beneficiaries of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will continue to be denied access to lands for residential and agricultural usage; and a substantial amount of state land will continue to remain unproductive.  Therefore, your Committee finds it necessary to establish a working group where state agencies explore optimizing opportunities in the areas of agriculture, economic development, and housing.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 46, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 46, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

 

 

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair