Committee passes four land-and-water resolutions, including freshwater and shoreline measures

The Senate Committee on Water and Land on April 11 moved four House concurrent resolutions forward from its agenda and recorded votes to pass each measure unamended.

- HCR 40: Urges the Department of Land and Natural Resources and partnering agencies to work with community groups on community forests on public lands to benefit state forest communities. The committee recorded its recommendation to pass the measure as is; members present voted aye and the recommendation was adopted.

- HCR 122 (HD1): Requests DLNR to establish a collaborative working group to survey, identify and monitor culturally sensitive shorelines impacted by erosion. The committee recommended passing the measure as is; the recommendation was adopted.

- HCR 128 (HD1): Reaffirms the State's obligation to uphold constitutional rights by recognizing the critical role of freshwater in maintaining healthy nearshore marine ecosystems. DLNR and CWRM staff filed support; the committee recommended passage and the recommendation was adopted.

- HCR 191 (HD1): Requests DLNR convene a Kailua Bay advisory working group; written communications from stakeholders appeared in the record and the committee recommended passage as is.

All four committee recommendations were adopted by the members present during decision making; the record shows the chair and vice chair voted aye and no reservations were recorded for these items.

The committee moved into a short recess after completing the nominations and resolutions portion of its agenda.