[House Report 116-600] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 116th Congress } { Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session } { 116-600 ====================================================================== TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON LANDS THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN A NATIONAL FOREST IN HAWAI`I, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES _______ November 19, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 7045] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 7045) to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on lands that could be included in a National Forest in Hawai`i, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of H.R. 7045 is to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on lands that could be included in a National Forest in Hawai`i, and for other purposes. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION H.R. 7045 requires the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources, to conduct a study to identify lands in the State of Hawai`i that merit inclusion in the National Forest System. The study will also inventory how to best conserve and enhance Hawai`i's native koa, `ohi`a, and sandalwood forests to help lay the groundwork for the establishment of a national forest. Hawai`i is home to more than 9,900 endemic species, many of which are reliant on Hawai`i's fragile ecosystem to survive.\1\ Unfortunately, since the onset of human arrival on the archipelago, Hawai`i has lost almost half of its native forest cover.\2\ By laying the groundwork for the establishment of Hawai`i's first national forest, H.R. 7045 lays the foundation for the management and protection of Hawai`i's unique forest resources, including the only tropical rainforests in the country, and its native species. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\Neal L. Evenhuis & Scott E. Miller, Twenty Years of the Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey, 117 Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 1, 2 (2015), http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pubs-online/pdf/op117.pdf. \2\See The Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i, Last Stand: the Vanishing Hawaiian Forest (2007), https://www.nature.org/media/hawaii/ last_stand_web_lo.pdf, of which some of the above text is excerpts, at 14. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMMITTEE ACTION H.R. 7045 was introduced on May 28, 2020, by Representative Ed Case (D-HI). The bill was referred solely to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands. On June 18, 2020, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On July 29, 2020, the Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. HEARINGS For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 116th Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or consider H.R. 7045: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held on June 18, 2020. COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT 1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, November 9, 2020. Hon. Raul M. Grijalva, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 7045, a bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on lands that could be included in a National Forest in Hawai`i, and for other purposes. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani Shankaran. Sincerely, Phillip L. Swagel, Director. Enclosure.H.R. 7045 would direct the Forest Service to conduct a study and report to the Congress, within three years of enactment, on land in Hawai`i that could be included within the National Forest System. Using information from the agency, CBO estimates that completing the required study would cost $1 million over the 2021 2025 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani Shankaran. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis. 2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and objectives of this bill are to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on lands that could be included in a National Forest in Hawai`i. EARMARK STATEMENT This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT This bill contains no unfunded mandates. EXISTING PROGRAMS This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government known to be duplicative of another program. APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the U.S. Constitution. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing law. SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS None.