STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1425

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 607, 608

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 607 and 608, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

Endangered Species Recovery Committee

G.M. No. 607	ERIC VANDERWERF, for a term to expire 6-30-2019; and
G.M. No. 608	SAMUEL GON, for a term to expire 6-30-2019,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Eric VanderWerf and Samuel Gon to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Endangered Species Recovery Committee.

ERIC VANDERWERF

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Dr. VanderWerf from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Conservation Council for Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and ten individuals.

     Dr. VanderWerf received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Zoology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a Master of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Florida, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Cornell University.

     Dr. VanderWerf is one of the world's leading authorities on Hawaiian bird conservation.  He is the co-founder and President of Pacific Rim Conservation, an organization dedicated to studying and conserving the biota of the Pacific region.  Dr. VanderWerf has over twenty years of experience pertaining to endangered species and conservation, including over six years as the Hawaiian Bird Recovery Coordinator for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and over five years as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Zoology at the University of Hawaii.  He has authored over ninety scientific papers, book chapters, government documents, and technical reports, primarily focused on endangered Hawaiian birds.

     Your Committee finds that Dr. VanderWerf's ecology and conservation experience provide him with the knowledge and expertise necessary to serve on the Endangered Species Recovery Committee.

SAMUEL GON

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Dr. Gon from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Conservation Council for Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Trust for Public Land, and thirty-six individuals.  Your Committee received comments on the nomination of Dr. Gon from three individuals.

     Dr. Gon received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Animal Behavior and a Master of Arts degree in Zoology from the University of California, Davis.  He also received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

     Dr. Gon is one of the world's leading authorities on Hawaiian natural history and culture.  He currently serves on the Hawaii Management Committee of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii and is a Senior Scientist and Cultural Advisor at The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii.  Dr. Gon has over twenty-five years of experience at The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, including fifteen years as an Ecologist and nine years as the Director of Science.  He has extensive research and teaching experience in the fields of ecology and zoology.  In recognition of his work, Dr. Gon has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Kamehameha Schools Beamer Family Emalani Searfoss Award, Western Association Forestry and Wildlife Agencies Commission of the Year, and Hawaii Conservation Alliance Distinguished Service Award.

     Your Committee finds that Dr. Gon's experience and insights, garnered from years of researching and working in the fields of Hawaiian ecology and zoology, will provide a unique and valuable perspective to the Endangered Species Recovery Committee.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

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

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair