Bill Text: HI SCR141 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Pasture Leases; DLNR; Drought

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-21 - The committee on WTL deferred the measure. [SCR141 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-SCR141-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	141
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF lAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO DEFER LEASE PAYMENTS ON PASTURE LEASES FOR TWO YEARS TO AFFORD LEASEHOLDERS A REPRIEVE FROM DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the island of Hawaii and the island of Maui have experienced severe drought conditions; and

 

     WHEREAS, the drought information statement of the National Weather Service, Honolulu, on January 9, 2014, stated that a late December storm finally brought significant rainfall to the Big Island and Maui; however, most of the rainfall provided only limited relief to the worst drought areas, and as a result extreme drought (D3 category) on the U.S. Drought Monitor Map remained over portions of the Big Island and Maui; and

 

     WHEREAS, KITV news reported on August 23, 2013, that drought conditions are evaporating Hawaii's cattle industry, stating, "No rain means no grass for cows, no grass for cows means ranchers have to export their livestock"; and

 

     WHEREAS, in the same KITV report, the Department of Agriculture stated, "Because without the feed, the grass, they need to take their stock down and it basically devastates those ranchers.  The industry is experiencing a downturn"; and

 

     WHEREAS, cattle ranchers who hold pasture leases with the Department of Land and Natural Resources are unable to maintain the health of their animals due to the severe and persistent drought; and

 

     WHEREAS, the lack of income of cattle ranchers forces them to be in arrears of their lease payments on their pasture lands to the Department of Land and Natural Resources; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to defer lease payments on pasture leases for two years to afford leaseholders a reprieve from drought conditions; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Pasture Leases; DLNR; Drought