HB861 CD1

Report Title:

ADC; Kekaha, Lihue Plantations

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for the agribusiness development corporation to provide for the operations and maintenance of certain agriculture-related infrastructure on Kauai. (HB861 CD1)

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	861
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001		H.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 2
		C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF CERTAIN AGRICULTURE-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE ON KAUAI.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the imminent termination of sugarcane cultivation by Amfac Sugar-Kauai will likely result in the loss of hundreds of jobs, causing great economic hardship and uncertainty for many Kauai families and businesses.

As of late 2000, five agribusinesses have received temporary permits from the board of land and natural resources to use about five thousand acres in the Kekaha area for truck crops, seed corn, aquaculture, fruit orchards, as well as sugarcane. In the Hanamaulu-Wailua area, there will be several thousand additional acres available for diversified agricultural activities. These agricultural lands possess qualities that are suited for cultivating a wide variety of crops.

These areas are served by four extensive irrigation supply, storage, and distribution systems. Upon closure, continued maintenance of these systems is critical for the transition to diversified agriculture. In addition, the Kekaha area also has hydroelectric generators, a complex electrical distribution network, many miles of drainage canals, and two groundwater pumping stations that prevent the makai plain from flooding. These facilities must be operated and maintained on a continuous basis, whether the lands are in sugarcane or other crop cultivation, or fallow.

The purpose of this Act is to authorize the agribusiness development corporation to provide for uninterrupted operation and maintenance of the infrastructure systems serving the areas encompassing the Kekaha and Lihue plantations for a period of one year thereby facilitating the development of diversified agriculture on these lands.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002 to be deposited into the Hawaii agricultural development revolving fund to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the Hawaii agricultural development revolving fund the sum of $2,300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002 and the sum of $2,300,000 or so much therof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 to allow the agribusiness development corporation to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the agribusiness development corporation for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.