STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3471

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 192

S.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 S.R. No. 192 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO COLLABORATE WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS; LANDOWNERS; AND STAKEHOLDERS TO PROTECT, RESTORE, AND MANAGE THE WEST MAUI WETLANDS AND WETLANDS STATEWIDE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to collaborate with federal, state, and county governments; landowners; and stakeholders to protect, restore, and manage the West Maui wetlands and wetlands statewide.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that wetlands help improve water quality, increase groundwater flows, provide habitats for native species, act as natural firebreaks, and greatly benefit coastal water quality. The ongoing recovery efforts in Lahaina and West Maui after the devastating August 2023 wildfires provide an opportunity to rebuild and restore historic wetlands that had been covered with commercial or residential developments. Your Committee concludes that a collaborative effort between federal, state, and county governments; landowners; and stakeholders to protect, restore, and manage West Maui wetlands and wetlands statewide would be beneficial to the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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.R. No. 192, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 192, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair