Department of Land and Natural Resources

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release

NEIL ABERCROMBIE GOVERNOR

WILLIAM J. AILA JR, CHAIRPERSON

For Immediate News Release April 02, 2014 

COMMERCIAL BOATING AND OCEAN RECREATION OPERATIONS
RULES ARE SUBJECT OF DLNR PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS WEEK 

Written testimony also accepted for the following week

Honolulu – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will hold public hearings this week on the proposed adoption and compilation of Title 13, Hawaii Administrative Rules, in order to update and streamline the rules that pertain to commercial operations occurring in state small boat harbors, facilities, and near shore waters.

As proposed:

Chapter 231, Operations of Boats, Small Boat Harbors, and Permits, places limits on the number of commercial use permits that may be issued for harbors and launch ramps, implements a thirty day grace period for the renewal of all use permits, implements commercial catamaran registration requirements;

Chapter 251, Waikiki and Kaanapali Ocean Waters, repeals the operator permit requirements for Waikiki and Kaanapali beaches, authorizes the issuance of a commercial use permit or registration certificates to commercial catamaran operations occurring on Waikiki and Kaanapali beach and near shore waters, and establishes minimum requirements for catamaran commercial use permits and registration certificates;

Chapter 253, Registration and Permit Fees, establishes commercial use and registration fees for commercial catamaran operations and water sports equipment;

Section 13-256-3, Commercial Operator Permit Requirements, requires all commercial activities in state waters to obtain a commercial use permit;

Section 13-256-4, Commercial Vessel and Water Sports Equipment Registration Requirements, requires all commercial vessels and water sports equipment to be registered.

The meetings will be held as follows:

April 2, 2014, 6:00 pm –8:00 pm Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Cafeteria 342 Kapahulu Ave., Honolulu	April 3, 2014, 6:00 pm –8:00 pm Kealakehe High School Cafeteria 74-5000 Puohulihuli Street, Kailua-Kona
April 3, 2014, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm Maui Waena Interm School Cafeteria 795 Onehee Ave., Kahului	April 2, 2014, 6:00 pm –8:00 pm State Office Bldg Conference Rms A & B 75 Aupuni Street, Hilo
April 3, 2014, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School 4431 Nuhou Street; Lihue

The meeting locations are disability accessible. All interested parties are invited to attend and to present their views, either orally or in writing. Written statements may be submitted up to one week following the last hearing:

1) By e-mail to [email protected]. Please include “Title 13, Chapter/Section # (i.e. 13-231), HAR”in the subject line;

2) By fax to (808) 587-1977, Attn: Title 13, Chapter/Section # (i.e. 13-253), HAR;

3) By mail to the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, 333 Queen Street, Suite 300, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Attn: Title 13, Chapter/Section # (i.e. 13-256-4), HAR.

Interested parties submitting testimony should indicate if they are in favor or are opposed to a new rule or proposed rule amendment.  Name and contact information for those submitting testimony should be included.  Testimony from a source that cannot be identified may or may not be not be considered in the department’s deliberations on a new rule or amended rule.

The proposed rules can be reviewed on-line at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/draft-rules/.

A summary of the comments received at the public hearings will be presented to the Board of Land and Natural Resource and modifications may be made at that time.  The public will have a second opportunity to comment on this set of amendments and any changes proposed by the BLNR at a duly noticed, future meeting of the Board.

If, as a result of the testimony received, there are substantive changes to the rules, it will be necessary to conduct another public hearing where further testimony will be received on those rules. After adoption by the Board of Land and Natural Resources, a proposed revision and any additions to the rules will be submitted to the Governor for approval. If approved, they then will be filed in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The rules will become effective and have the force and effect of law ten (10) days after filing in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Notices of these public hearings appeared in the following publications on the dates shown.

The Honolulu Star Advertiser issue of March 2, 2014
The Garden Island issue of March 2, 2014
Maui Publishing Co., dba The Maui News issue of March 2, 2014
Hawaii Tribune-Herald issue of March 2, 2014
West Hawaii Today issue of March 2, 2014

# # #

Media Contact:

Deborah Ward
Public Information Specialist
(808) 587-0320