SB999

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that under the Hawaii sustainability initiative, the State has committed to integrated sustainability goals, including increasing the State's climate resiliency, as well as supporting and increasing local food production.

The legislature further finds that numerous sources, both internationally and nationally, have recognized the importance of healthy soil as a critical resource for supplying food security, diverse habitats, water storage, and climate resiliency. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, nations around the world, and other agencies including the United States Department of Agriculture, celebrated 2015 as the International Year of Soils to highlight the necessity of healthy soil for food security and ecosystem resilience against climate change. Similarly, in recognition of the importance of healthy soil to climate resiliency and food security, many states around the country have launched initiatives to incentivize building soil organic matter and improving soil health.

The legislature also finds that trees have an important function in improving soil health and building climate resiliency for Hawaii's environment, including its agricultural landscapes. The Natural Resources Conservation Service, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture, has identified agroforestry as a unique land management approach that intentionally blends agriculture and forestry to enhance productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship.

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the strategic planting of trees in agricultural landscapes may increase crop yield, improve soil health, provide habitat for wildlife, and provide a variety of other benefits.

The division of forestry and wildlife of the department of land and natural resources manages four state tree nurseries that aim to provide high quality native, endangered, and windbreak trees and plants for the public and department of land and natural resources plantings and reforestation projects.

The legislature further finds that there is a need to repair, update, and expand the resources available to the state tree nurseries, including by increasing the available selections of trees and plants that provide beneficial functions in agricultural production.

The legislature further finds that various tree nurseries across the State need facilities or improvements. The Waimea-Kamuela state tree nursery is the largest facility, meant to service large scale projects statewide. The facility requires a greenhouse, irrigation, and seed cleaner system to ensure seedling sanitation to resume statewide supply, which has been halted over concerns over seedling exposure to surrounding invasive species in a windy location. The Maui and Kauai district nurseries also require greenhouses and irrigation. While the Kauai district mid-elevation rare plant nursery needs water catchment and expansion of the greenhouse. The Oahu district nursey requires a storage shed, access ramp, and construction of a structure for plant processing.

The purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds for the forest stewardship program to increase the existing plant stocks, invest in public outreach, and renovate the equipment and facilities of the state tree nurseries.

SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $1,380,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2021-2022 for the purpose of the forest stewardship program to:

(1) Work in collaboration with appropriate stakeholders, including but not limited to the greenhouse gas sequestration task force, researchers from the college of tropical agriculture and human resources of the university of Hawaii, and the United States Department of Agriculture National Resource Conservation Service, to expand and increase the existing plant stocks of the state tree nurseries to include a wider range of native trees and plant species identified by the division of forestry and wildlife to be beneficial in agricultural settings for improving agricultural productivity and improving soil health;

(2) Renovate and update the equipment and facilities of the state tree nurseries to expand their capacity to provide clean planting materials for a variety of public and private projects; and

(3) Use for public outreach and education regarding the benefits of trees and plants in providing soil health and the appropriate uses of trees and plants in agricultural settings.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2024, shall lapse as of that date.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	999
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII