STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3500
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.C.R. No. 151
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 151 entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXPAND BLUE CARBON INITIATIVES IN THE STATE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request:
(1) The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development convene a working group to develop recommendations to expand blue carbon initiatives in the State;
(2) The working group consider certain issues
relevant for evaluating the potential of blue carbon projects to enhance the
State's climate change mitigation and clean economy goals; and
(3) The working group submit a report of its
findings and recommendations on blue carbon initiatives to the Legislature before
the Regular Session of 2025.
Your Committee
received testimony in support of this measure from the Democratic Party of
Hawaiʻi and two
individuals.
Your Committee
received comments on this measure from the Office of
Planning and Sustainable Development, Hawaii State Energy Office, CARES, and
one individual.
Your Committee finds
that certain marine and coastal ecosystems sequester carbon dioxide and that
the conservation and restoration of these blue carbon ecosystems have been
recognized as effective nature-based solutions for mitigating greenhouse gas
emissions. This measure seeks to maximize
the benefits of local blue carbon initiatives to help the State meet its
climate change mitigation and clean energy economy goals.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 151 and recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,
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________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair |
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