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COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII RESOLUTION NO. 30 14 A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS SENATE BILL NO. 2583 AND HOUSE BILL NO. 2151,WHICH APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL SPACE CENTER FOR EXPLORATION SYSTEMS FOR JOINT STUDIES WITH THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION FOR A LASER COMMUNICATIONS GROUND STATION IN HAWAII. WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 2583 and House Bill No. 2151 appropriate $500,000 for a joint study with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for an engineering assessment; and WHEREAS, the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Studies (PISCES) promotes economic development for Hawai`i Island and the State of Hawai`i; and WHEREAS, NASA will establish a global network of next-generation laser communications ground stations to increase its data transfer rate with spacecraft by 10 to 100 times the current rate; and WHEREAS, Mauna Loa has been identified as a location for NASA's first lunar laser communications ground station; and WHEREAS, infrastructure construction for this $20 million laser communications ground station would begin in 2016, following the completion of site studies, environmental assessments and permit approvals; and WHEREAS, the successful operation of a$20 million proof of concept laser communications ground station will support the construction of a future $200 million permanent laser communications ground station in Hawai`i to provide a high-bandwidth link for spacecraft from low Earth orbit to the outer planets and deep space; and WHEREAS, a NASA-funded laser communications ground station will stimulate economic development with high technology jobs and investment from NASA; and WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 2583 and House Bill No. 2151 will make funds available only if NASA provides matching funds; and WHEREAS, the Hawai`i County Council supports PISCES, economic development and the advancement of space technology in Hawai`i; now, therefore,