STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3464

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 117

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 S.C.R. No. 117 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY ALL APPROPRIATE SITES AT STATE PARKS AT WHICH A WATER-BOTTLE FILLING STATION COULD BE INSTALLED,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to identify all appropriate sites at state parks at which a water-bottle filling station could be installed.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Friends of Hanauma Bay and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that drinking water is a vital necessity for individuals and should be readily accessible for those enjoying Hawaii's state parks, where parkgoers are active and subject to sun exposure. Refillable water bottles help protect the environment and are more cost-efficient than single-use plastic beverage containers, which contribute to environmental degradation and pollute state parks and adjacent marine environments. Your Committee believes that the installation of water-bottle filling stations at state parks will benefit parkgoers and the environment.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 117 and recommends its adoption.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair