Hawaii-2019-HCR168-Introduced

WHEREAS, Hawaii has the largest concentration of endangered and threatened species in the world, a majority of which are birds; and

WHEREAS, more than two-thirds of the various types of endemic Hawaiian birds are already extinct and over eighty percent of the remaining types are threatened with extinction; and

WHEREAS, oil- and fuel-related spills affecting Hawaii's native wildlife have occurred in the past and will occur in the future; and

WHEREAS, oiled wildlife response is a critical public service that requires extensive experience, wildlife rehabilitation permits, and the appropriate hazardous materials safety training and certification; and

WHEREAS, successful emergency responses to oil- or fuel-related disasters require a facility that provides efficient and state-of-the-art wildlife care; controls, handles, and tracks animals and hazardous waste; and ensures the safety of everyone working with oiled wildlife; and

WHEREAS, successful emergency responses to wildlife affected by oil- or fuel-related disasters rely on the availability of facilities, systems, and protocols that are already in place, so response can begin immediately after an event occurs; and

WHEREAS, without a response facility in place, public safety would be compromised due to potential exposure to hazardous petroleum products because of improper handling of affected wildlife; and

WHEREAS, without a response facility in place, Hawaii's native wildlife would suffer and accidents affecting them would result in a higher mortality rate; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Wildlife Center already serves as a critical emergency response facility for the training of response personnel and volunteers, and for the rehabilitation of injured, sick, and contaminated wildlife throughout the Pacific Islands region; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Wildlife Center is the only native wildlife emergency response and rehabilitation facility in the State and in the Pacific Islands region that meets all federal and state standards for accommodating large-scale rescue and rehabilitation efforts targeting sick, injured, or oiled wildlife; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the Hawaii Wildlife Center provides a critical public service that serves the purpose of protecting the public and Hawaii's vulnerable endangered wildlife; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Wildlife Center facility provides a critical public service to the State of Hawaii but does not receive any operational funding assistance from the State or federal government; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to convene a task force to evaluate and identify potential sources and means of funding available to provide support and help maintain the Hawaii Wildlife Center facility for the purpose of providing a critical public service to protect the public and Hawaii's endangered wildlife; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health, or the Director's designee, is requested to serve as the chair of the task force, and that the task force be comprised of:

(1) One member to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) One member to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(3) One member representing the Hawaii Wildlife Center;

(4) The State On-Scene Coordinator of the Department of Health's Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office;

(5) The Wildlife Program Manager of the Department of Land and Natural Resource's Division of Forestry and Wildlife;

(6) The Commander of United States Coast Guard Sector Honolulu; and

(7) A contaminant biologist from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to evaluate the appropriate level of funding and the potential use of the environmental response revolving fund established under section 128D-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to help maintain the Hawaii Wildlife Center facility; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, Deputy Director for Environmental Health Administration, Administrator of the Department of Land and Natural Resource's Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Commander of the United States Coast Guard District 14, Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and President and Center Director of the Hawaii Wildlife Center.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Department of Health; Task Force; Environmental Response Facility

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	168
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII