Bill Text: HI SR85 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Resolution 85 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Hawaii Island Irrigation Water Rates; Water Toll Rates

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-06-07 - Certified copies of resolutions sent, 06-07-13. [SR85 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SR85-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	85
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE department of agriculture TO IMPLEMENT A SCHEDULE OF REDUCED irrigation water TOLL RATES AND CHARGES for the island of hawaii THAT DIFFERENTIATES AMONG DIFFERENT IRRIGATION SYSTEM AREAS AND AGRICULTURAL USERS TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF HAWAII-GROWN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES THROUGH INCREASED USE OF IRRIGATION WATER.

WHEREAS, section 26-16(b) and (c), Hawaii Revised Statutes, authorizes the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture to, among other things:

(1) Identify problems related to agriculture and the appropriate state agencies and departments needed to solve the problems;

(2) Promote the conservation, development, and utilization of agricultural resources in the State; and

(3) Assist the farmers of the State and any others engaged in agriculture by research projects, dissemination of information, crop and livestock reporting service, market news service, and any other means of improving the well-being of those engaged in agriculture and increasing the productivity of the lands; and

WHEREAS, chapter 167, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to irrigation water development, authorizes the Department of Agriculture to, among other things, charge and collect water tolls, fees, and other charges; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has recognized the importance of a self-sufficient and sustainable economy; and

WHEREAS, approximately ninety percent of all food consumed in Hawaii is imported into the State; and

WHEREAS, although agricultural products are grown in Hawaii, the welfare of Hawaii's people will be enhanced by developing agricultural production and processing as fully as possible, including the growing and processing of agricultural crops, the production of livestock and poultry, aquaculture and aquaponics, and the production and processing of other agricultural products; and

WHEREAS, expanding Hawaii's agricultural sector, with the resulting local purchases of Hawaii-grown and processed agricultural products, would significantly benefit the State's economy, revitalize Hawaii's agricultural sector, and contribute to job creation and career opportunities for farmers, producers of agricultural products, ranchers, and other engaged in ancillary agricultural businesses; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has substantial natural water resources on each of the islands that are not currently being effectively used and conserved for agricultural purposes but that can, on a sustainable basis, be used in greater quantities to expand and enhance Hawaii's agricultural sector and production; and

WHEREAS, on the Island of Hawaii, the high cost of water delivery is causing a hardship on farmers growing and desiring to grow agricultural crops and poultry, ranchers engaged in the production of livestock, and others desiring to develop aquaculture and aquaponics, thereby making it difficult to continue or undertake a sustainable agricultural business and adversely affecting the Island of Hawaii's agricultural productivity; and

WHEREAS, the irrigation systems that currently exist provide water in different areas on the Island of Hawaii, and the costs of operating and maintaining these systems differ depending upon the location of these irrigation systems; and

WHEREAS, the water toll rates and charges for the delivery of water to agricultural users in these irrigation systems have been at a uniform rate on a statewide basis, which imposes hardships on farmers, ranchers, and others on the Island of Hawaii engaged in the growing of agricultural crops, including aquaculture and aquaponics, and the production of livestock and poultry located in these different irrigation systems located on different islands of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the existing water toll rates and charges do not take into account the levels and amounts of water that are appropriate for the various irrigation systems on the Island of Hawaii to promote increased agricultural, livestock, and poultry production in these different areas, and do not take into account the different classes of users who often use different amounts of water for agricultural production; and

WHEREAS, a system of differentiated water toll rates would provide opportunities to use for agricultural production the currently unused water within these districts on the Island of Hawaii that currently flows to the sea; and

WHEREAS, as an initial step toward implementing a system of differentiated water toll rates for different irrigations systems and for different classes of users, there should be established and implemented a differentiated water toll system for the Island of Hawaii's district irrigation system; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, that the Department of Agriculture is requested to implement a schedule of reduced irrigation water toll rates and charges for the Island of Hawaii that differentiates among different irrigation system areas and agricultural users for growing of agricultural crops and the production of livestock and poultry to promote the development and expansion of Hawaii-grown agricultural commodities through increased use of irrigation water; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Agriculture is requested to report to the Legislature on the implementation of a system of reduced water toll rates for the Island of Hawaii, as described above, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2014; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, and Chairperson of the Water Board of the County of Hawaii.