Bill Text: HI HCR168 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Urging The Convening Of A Task Force To Evaluate And Identify Potential Sources And Means Of Funding Available To Provide Support For And Help Maintain The Hawaii Wildlife Center Facility And Hawaii's Endangered Wildlife.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-1)
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-02 - Resolution adopted in final form. [HCR168 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-HCR168-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
168 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
URGING THE CONVENING OF A TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES AND MEANS OF FUNDING AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR AND HELP MAINTAIN THE HAWAII WILDLIFE CENTER FACILITY AND HAWAII'S ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.
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 support and help maintain the Hawaii Wildlife Center facility to provide a critical public service of protecting the public and Hawaii's endangered wildlife; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health, or the Director's designee, and the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, or the Chairperson's designee, are requested to serve as the co-chairs of the task force, and that the task force also be composed 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 Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife;
(6) The Commander of the 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 also consider grant-in-aid funding pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as an additional funding source for the Hawaii Wildlife Center; 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, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Deputy Director for Environmental Health Administration, Administrator of the Department of Land and Natural Resources' 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.
Department of Health; Task Force; Environmental Response Facility
