STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1138

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.R. No. 58

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.R. No. 58 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO SUBMIT A PETITION TO LIST THE OAHU PUEO AS A THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to petition the United States Secretary of the Interior, through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to protect the Oahu pueo, also known as the Hawaiian short-eared owl (Asio flammeus sandwichensis) as a threatened or endangered species.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Livable Hawaii Kai Hui, Kawaihapai Ohana, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the pueo is a species endemic to Hawaii, a prominent figure in Hawaiian culture, and an ‘aumakua of many Hawaiian families.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to petition the United States Secretary of the Interior, through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to protect the pueo, not just the Oahu pueo, as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act;

(2) Changing its title to read: "REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO SUBMIT A PETITION TO LIST THE PUEO AS A THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT."; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 58, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 58, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair