STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1782

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 68

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 68 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CREATE A LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PLAN WITH GOALS TO INCREASE TREE CANOPIES ON PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS, DOCUMENT EXISTING INVENTORY AND TALENT, AND IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT AND SUSTAIN THE PLAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education to create a landscape management plan.

More specifically, the measure requests that the Department:

(1) Develop a plan to increase tree canopies on public school grounds;

(2) Document existing inventory and talent; and

(3) Identify additional resources that are required to implement and sustain the plan.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Climate Protectors Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that increasing tree canopies on school campuses will provide heat abatement, offer learning opportunities, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and help advance the State's environmental goals.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 68, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair