STAND. COM. REP. NO. 573-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2331

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2331 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INFRASTRUCTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds to support a Dam and Reservoir Working Group to ensure and enhance the continued availability and operation of dams and reservoirs in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning & Sustainable Development; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; and Aina Hookupu o Kilauea. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that dams and reservoirs form a critical part of Hawaii's infrastructure, providing numerous benefits upon which the State's communities depend. This measure supports the continued availability and operation of dams and reservoirs, which further promote food and water sustainability and public health and safety.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the composition of the working group and designating the Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, or their designees, as Co-Chairpersons of the working group;

(2) Specifying that the working group's work should build upon the Department of Agriculture's 2003 "Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan";

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $500,000.

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. 2331, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2331, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair