HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.036 2018-2020 I
1
C otrraeii of the C'rrtrrity o rliawaai'i
l a vari'i C purity Builciim,
Arrprrtai StrCet ..
t liltr�
ALWUSt 5, 2020 9
Re: Dill 178
plc htt llta%VrAi_i COUTIO C"OUncil rrteMbeM
ahxilo for t°onr continued support oftlffl 17& I ani s} bN rttrr C'r'rr.rtzt\° ('01111cil'
fklresit�dit and t'esolye to support the pteservatwr,alit] restcrraation of I llnvai-i's nalivs, forests,
As no ameratfrlienis to Bill 17S' liave been rirtrcie. l .ilii writing to express my ctrrrtitttrcl support ti-r
Bill 178)A-hic:-It amends rfnrl updatcs, the lfawai'i county goat fior nitre €arrest For
dour ret'crence., l have copieci my previous testirttony here below which describes the
tam tadinents being, proposed along %vith -,in espla.natrirrt lis to fl)eir rrrtrt-#nale. and impact.
Hic current county code for .utile forest d dictanon� ells designed to encourage property t.MIlers
tO protect and preserve Oji"tiles' native torests foo,a period of at least 20 v�ars, '€ lwse pr°oviS1oils
proidecl tall excellent st rr t t€::r r�t.fii�e ft rest stek� trtlship and now Is lire tirtrr to atr3iend the et tfe
itli provisions that Fill also ""Up ol-t rr.tti C f0re-St T`est0r-trtion €R)-jeCLS it) lith: -with thepublic's
interest in trrati-,e t'trrests and the niont ben fas that ricrtise f wesu, provide.
I'he current code.has one type of,forest dedication such that an. owner tnw,,' dedicate land N�la(°re
60",'1'1 ttfthe forest cover is native forest and 51"0 ofthat coverw_,e is tre: i tov ro This pr(AN i;ion
4aor.l"s v ell when the properly o rtea- is f'trrronafe enough tc} have Lin existing natit e t6i,e t and tile_
ONN'ttc.r a0rcu111 if) dedicate that portion tri"the property I"Or. at least 20 Nvars. Since rR`0(A the count\
has approved 129 nazi- e forest dedications which span 68,202 tacrc S.
I k)\ °v er, in niany ceases, the land. thedna. l:+:ti`rt"ot support a native foo' st restoration pro-J4m
due to a v arlety of'conditions tli rt have compromised its viability. including blit not limited to
-od Flet,radation and depletion. 1r)ss of—grt>ttnc\nater resources. ink-as-ivspecies o erruil, loss of,
windbreaks, -and sty forth„_.,ul of which can make the restoration ol'ar native forst and all of its,
accompanying ing benct is difficcrlt if not impossible to achei . fo date. zero restoration pr-oiec:ts
have been started under the rtative tiwest dedietatkin option,
1'o contend with these challenging circ imstwice s, Bill 178 recommends the addition s it two ne\N
cite Yories: "firnetrc?r al forest`'` Land "suc;cessrona 66rest,",' -Flie ttrtr tit?r"ra! fere t c t�rP�irtc°s rt tti�
and liars-nt,tti--e='non-iixvatii\e species in an optitrtrrm wa\, to restor-e and maintain the cilli]
still a rrerrate the mart benefits of a pt.rre €iativ Forest restoration, 'I'he functional forest tirzty
Comm. o. �{ .
Ref.To; t
Ref. Date 610f=0
elahcl s rve aa' ;a ""tel'rping'-stone to as full native forest restoration prtfject, or it may be the end
hod oC ar preservart on & restoration ligoject. delreardhig trlaon the condition cif the prcaperty,
l.lre tat ssli ra tl Barest etataegot, is ilesigned to protect native kwest clevelopnierat on lava ]ands
"here the idand's forest dee elt prnent Ila started, This provision wcrtalel give the pnjxrty'
o" xr the optiiraa of tiedi adng, ia\a lands or tete papme of restoring the native forest. and
\k k arltl N c a viable choice, to landoNvin yrs in lieu oCclea clopment.
Next- It 178 adjusts the dining of the t e'dli:el ion as,,sessment benefit, t-- lacier the curient code.
the p Verty , ner NNoulci hegin to cc.c6 e the rzatkv West a sessmi:tlt berrebt only once the i
requireralenis to quali l for native forest dealicaRn tkere AQ rearirheti, la the uses ofa
i
re`wrartion protec:t. this, might t tak 110 leas on m etage to achieve. and tvo ld result in
consideraalllc costs til the laar'tdt,wner WilhOUt.analttsett]ng taa her-ae.ilt. Ile proposed amendment
itSndd aappQ, the natit"c forest t311ct: the Cc7urnapproves tl`ia; property a 'net's n atl-,"
Ar'est rest.arr<don p1aarl and c.on trrlas ftp.: l iaahrhty of the Protect This change mincl provide a
'Ula ll but €ueailrtla,'tlal aadaju+t]7 eni that s1g€ds A t()1.tllt's 71 teres in iTstot'utdmi lm1jects
}=irually, Bill 17 crtalla Oran illllrovement in the asassrment rate for native t)restdedications'.
Naative Core;t preser%ctttrrta Enid restoration 1-roAjc is incur considerable costs and dication from
the laancdo\veer, Unlike other as rieultutaal ilealicaadons. the native forest dedication Nvill not
ori llerate ialeorne For It, propeny ownen In addition. the dedication ties up the, prialaert: tht-ou"'h;
he dedicated period and efi`ecti\el° lc?\vers Me Que of he property for that tinge. ,arra irnproa ed
assessment rate helps in to modest way tri WtK costs and s€snails that the eounty ,supports the:
prate t on wind nastor-a ion of native f nest``:
As ;a puMic-pr «te quinershif. Dill 18 woWd tarldcns'con the eerunI ,s ithtcrest in ta:ilclg c;arr-t of
OUr laars.cl and in Iluukg po1ic:y IIs place it,) support native lalrest prt+se:.r%'ation and restorition, ",l-.he
cost to the county "-amId be ahproxhnatel $1 10001vatr to start. and eveanticipate avery modest �
increase in the tlarlrther ornew dedications due to the cost to the landowner and the commitment
a°e"gWrerl to set Ade Ia€nd for he full de is ation period,
l'lhrou'll tits.'Property owne t s investments and elho", grease. the entire a~r;at my benefits by the
rrlaany, eer-rlergieaal services and c3ihuraal Shness provided by native I`tar�sts. ineltrding hut: ria t
lithliW to gmtarad anter restoration. et'osion control and coral reef protection, native habitat I
i
resioration for plams and a n ni als, carbon sequestrattim chmate change atha.toum, and ovoNl
t1arec of mind for the, '-altlaa and all of us lucky, 011oUgh to, live iters.
E lrFr:lk t w again Aw t ow,continued sL11)1 oro, For YOUr ret` r ncc. I've included a shart lltit of
mite and ;;oust poli s' decisions, that show,',' thaat the restoration ofnative brests is 3 I?I"ka' iry IN
1 lace ai`i and Ha Beta ny-,
v er r lest rej. aar s�
LAW Sk'1:?t'oo�lcs
l ennuces and 1.&jjWgj `�t�It�ty
MJ l a��atia State C. 11st€t tion.l.l' 78)
.,art, X1, Section 9 states Each person has the ri�,7ltt to to clerttt and heahhl ens irvrttnvu. as
t eOneti by laws Mating to en irottmnull qualit, including COMM or pollution an
c€ user\ ation. protection, and enhatiC011tczat caf"tt lttit<Il resOttaces.Y'
"t'a Mata ke Ea c) lea '.� iita i ica franc,,.
"fhe Life of the Land is PexrnE.wate d in Righteousness-
is
ighteousn ss-
, "ai tate I.=e isitt�i011
pct gets 1s�at�.rrt e t 1 ruet.ot' .xaa`l�c u nerat:alik bv.2045, Ai 15 estaablislaes a tEaretkiale taat"i et
For carbon neutrality Such tllaa tile Suits Sequesters more a£ST'osph rtc and �',rCenh 7i.S I ',i;CS 111all
emitted by 2045,
t t G I"tt?TttSt 9„l{) 4rtI3 ?:rtwC 1141atC 01�31IizeAvct 32 14eC:C}ga'91zeFC that c-liniate change e is real
and ptoses a SKOUS threat to I"owait/ ,COMOMI, star,t.ainabihq. and nattital t-es urces. ltt Act 32L
the State t committed to expanning strategie and IiTt,chai isnissto reduce greenhouse gas emissions
sty”tea icle, :',trivi.ng, to communicate urticate 1C ng-term greenhouse se t,,as, emission (leveloptilent
4trategiese and taking Mons to a:ti)]1s4"rve and e11i1t nct tong-term sinks and r s tN krs o
greenhouse g avc K by pHorhizing the dei clCs idem of gawks, vgrccn%vaay s, and restoration 1f.
ttativ c upland and coastal ti st mid vvetlands. Act 32 aaN conaza-tits to al jit:ing sune gook "All
the goals described in die M!5 Paris Agreement.
4. I Ia ,,. at � C, t tuJI
&r_,c_lt_t_Eioil 122-1�a t ACL
t c luticat - r tt�rti € t[ttat tlt i tetttizai in Lite ttt 5t r _ €� tt�r�s Ittt� ct'nity and t]
raa tti at.} cat,lt `Fli Cowl, of'l£E�maki WNW"if] iniplen-tent as just. equitable. c�ount: ide
cn iei,gency, chi-nate r vbiltzaatioll r:3 oll to rever,,e global xv,.rniingg by clrza.�,,,-tically t'� itic ti24
cerWity icie emissions ofcarbon dioxide and gr etthousir t�aseand safely dr awim-, cls vvn cair"i~on
twin the alta osphere no lataet thmi 203a while accelerating, adaption and resilience strate.ties in
preparation Rn iattemi,hig clWate change hnpaacts, in acichtican. l esolulkin 322-1 Q commits, to
esitaabl€silt ambitious goals ccuidstent with or exceeding State goals and ol�jcctat'es and kvork
itttttaedi,ately to implement the paths laid cart int rile HawaVi Island Oinizatr Action plan that
atts:;laW phaMn. ow existing sources of greettliouse eras en issions and implerneatirig irrit aati�cis
such as tree planting to sequester carbon from the air.