STAND. COM. REP. NO. 405-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1979

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1979 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect threatened or endangered species in Hawaii by:

(1) Requiring all persons, before engaging in an activity with a high likelihood of resulting in an incidental take of a threatened or endangered species, to enter into a planning process with the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the purpose of preparing and implementing a habitat conservation plan; and

(2) Requiring habitat conservation plans to include additional components.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, Save Our Shearwaters, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that certain activities of modern life have a higher likelihood to incidentally cause injury or death to threatened or endangered species, including seabirds, forest birds, nene, and bats. This measure would appropriately place the burden of compliance with incidental take and other requirements and accountability for engaging in actions with a high likelihood of incidental take with entities engaging in these types of actions, thereby decreasing the likelihood of the unauthorized take of threatened and endangered species.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1979, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1979, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair