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THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  RELATING TO STATE PARK RESTROOM FACILITIES AND FUNDING FOR THE
    NATURAL AREA RESERVES SYSTEM.



 1               PART I.  STATE PARK RESTROOM FACILITIES
 2   
 3       WHEREAS, the visitor industry is of great importance to the
 4   State's economy; and
 5   
 6       WHEREAS, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, through its
 7   marketing and promotional activities, spends millions of
 8   dollars each year selling Hawaii as a world-class visitor
 9   destination; and
10   
11       WHEREAS, the Hawaii Tourism Authority relies on the image
12   of Hawaii's clean, white sand beaches, clear, sparkling ocean
13   waters, and sweet-smelling breezes to promise travelers an
14   unforgettable experience in the islands; and
15   
16       WHEREAS, every day hundreds of sightseers, hikers, and
17   beach-goers utilize our State Parks; and
18   
19       WHEREAS, unfortunately, a number of State Park restroom
20   facilities, due mainly to the high volume of visitor traffic
21   and occasional antiquated facility is often found to be
22   unclean, putrid-smelling, and not functioning properly for
23   visitors and local residents; and
24   
25       WHEREAS, a visitor's positive impression can be changed,
26   quickly and dramatically by one bad experience, which
27   subsequently leaves a lasting negative impression about how
28   Hawaii's people care for their land and water; and
29   
30       WHEREAS, since 1993 the budget for the Department of Land
31   and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks, has decreased
32   by twenty percent, thus impacting the maintenance of State Park
33   restroom facilities; now, therefore,
34   
35       BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
36   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
37   Representatives concurring, that, for high visitor use State

 
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                                  S.C.R. NO.            H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   Parks, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the
 2   Hawaii Tourism Authority are requested to discuss the
 3   conditions of selected State Park restrooms, evaluate their
 4   conditions, determine the impacts caused by tourist usage, and
 5   determine possible assistance from the visitor industry; and
 6   
 7       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and
 8   Natural Resources and the Hawaii Tourism Authority present its
 9   findings to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to
10   the convening of the Regular Session of 2001; and
11   
12       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
13   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Hawaii Tourism
14   Authority, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and
15   the Governor.
16   
17       PART II.  FUNDING FOR THE NATURAL AREA RESERVES SYSTEM
18   
19        WHEREAS, the Natural Reserves System was established by
20   legislative mandate in 1970 to "preserve in perpetuity specific
21   land and water areas which support communities, as relatively
22   unmodified as possible, of the native flora and fauna, as well
23   as geological sites, of Hawai`i"; and
24   
25        WHEREAS, there are currently 19 Natural Area Reserves in
26   Hawai`i, totaling 109,165 acres of state-managed land, most of
27   it ceded, on the islands of Kaua`i, O`ahu, Moloka`i, Maui, and
28   Hawai`i; and
29   
30        WHEREAS, the destruction of native ecosystems by humans
31   and the introduction of foreign plants and animals have
32   resulted in Hawai`i having more endangered species and natural
33   communities than any other place of similar size in the world;
34   and
35   
36        WHEREAS, the Natural Area Reserves System contains some of
37   the best examples of native ecosystems and geological features
38   remaining in Hawai`i, and provides essential habitat for
39   Hawai`i's critically endangered plants and animals; and
40   
41        WHEREAS, these unique resources are an integral part of
42   Hawai`i's cultural and natural heritage, and should be
43   preserved for the enjoyment of future generations and to
44   provide base lines against which changes that are being made in
45   the environment can be measured; and

 
 
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                                  S.C.R. NO.            H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, the 1987 Natural Area Reserves Strategic Plan
 2   called for the protection of Hawai`i's "critically imperilled"
 3   natural communities and native ecosystems by the year 2000,
 4   with priority given to establishing new reserves on suitable
 5   state-managed lands; and
 6   
 7        WHEREAS, since 1987, only one reserve has been added to
 8   the Natural Area Reserves System, and dozens of natural
 9   communities and native ecosystems on state-managed land remain
10   unprotected; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, in 1987, the Natural Area Reserves Commission
13   recommended to the Legislature that a minimum of $1,585,000 be
14   allocated to manage the existing Natural Area Reserves System,
15   noting that additional funding would be necessary for an
16   expanded System; and
17   
18        WHEREAS, funding to manage the Natural Area Reserves
19   System was first provided in 1988, and has never been
20   sufficient to meet the Legislature's mandate; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, the annual operating budget for the Natural Area
23   Reserves System peaked in 1991 and has decreased steadily since
24   then; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, the current operating budget for the Natural Area
27   Reserves System for future generations requires a long-term
28   commitment, permanent dedicated funding, and adequate staff;
29   and
30   
31        WHEREAS, the State's Natural Area Partnership Program,
32   Forest Stewardship Program, Wildlife Revolving Fund, and other
33   state programs enjoy permanent funding while there is no
34   dedicated source of funding for the Natural Area Reserves
35   System; now, therefore,
36   
37        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
38   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
39   Representatives concurring, that the Department of Land and
40   Natural Resources is requested to convene a working group of
41   representatives of involved agencies and citizen organizations,
42   to identify potential sources of permanent dedicated funding
43   for the Natural Area Reserves System; and
44   
45        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group identify
46   funding and staffing needs for the existing Natural Area
47   Reserves System, as well as an expanded System as recommended
48   in the Natural Area Reserves Strategic Plan; and

 
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                                  S.C.R. NO.            H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and
 2   Natural Resources is requested to submit the working group's
 3   findings to the Legislature no later than sixty days prior to
 4   the convening of the Regular Session of 2001; and
 5   
 6        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 7   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor,
 8   Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the
 9   Office of Hawaiian Affairs.