STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3^1
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 3 2024
RE: S.R. No. 129
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was
referred S.R. No. 129 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP
RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXPAND BLUE CARBON INITIATIVES IN THE
STATE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request:
(1) The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development
convene a working group to develop recommendations to
expand blue carbon initiatives in the State;
(2) The working group consider certain issues relevant for
evaluating the potential of blue carbon projects to
enhance the State's climate change mitigation and clean
economy goals; and
(3) The working group submit a report of its findings and
recommendations on blue carbon initiatives to the
Legislature before the Regular Session of 2025.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i and one individual.
2024-2455 SR SSCR SMA docx
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Page 2
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the
Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Hawaii State
Energy Office, and one individual.
Your Committee finds that certain marine and coastal
ecosystems sequester carbon dioxide and that the conservation and
restoration of these blue carbon ecosystems have been recognized
as effective nature-based solutions for mitigating greenhouse gas
emissions. This measure seeks to maximize the benefits of local
blue carbon initiatives to help the State meet its climate change
mitigation and clean energy economy goals.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
No. 129 and recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Agriculture and
Environment,
MIKE GABBARD, Chair
2024-2455 SR SSCR SMA docx
 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawaii
Record of Votes
Committee on Agriculture and Environment
AEN
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
SR 12l 4/1 /Z0Z4
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to:______________________________________
The Recommendation is:
Pass, unamended __ Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
GABBARD, Mike (C)
RICHARDS, III, Herbert M. “Tim” (VC)
DECOITE, Lynn
RHOADS, Karl
AWA, Brenton
TOTAL o
Recommendation: i—lX
Adopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signature! j_______ 7
V
Distribution; Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/27/23