STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3326

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1900

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1900, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HYDROLOGIC DATA COLLECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to improve the State's understanding of the complex hydrologic systems in Hawaii and provide additional resources for the Hawaii Mesonet.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, County of Hawaiʻi Department of Water Supply, University of Hawaiʻi, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy, North Shore Hydrological Services, and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from Restore the Commons.

Your Committee finds that hydrologic data collection is critical to understanding trends, including climate change, affecting Hawaii's water resources. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Mesonet is a statewide advanced weather and climate monitoring network that collects high quality data, including data regarding hydrological processes. This measure will appropriate funds for the maintenance of the Mesonet to ensure that this system continues to provide high quality data or climate change into the future.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1900, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair