Governor banks on bag fee, tax to save watershed

The state land director stresses the need to restore forest areas if Hawaii is to prosper

By B.J. Reyes

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 29, 2013

~~<p>Boosting funds for watershed and forest preservation programs, either through an increase in taxes on expensive real estate transactions or a fee on single-use plastic checkout bags, remains a priority for the Abercrombie administration, the state's land and natural resources director said.</p>
<p>"There are a lot of things attached to (watershed) restoration, which includes water for agriculture, which includes green forests for tourism, which includes managing soil runoff so it doesn't end up impacting our coral reefs," William Aila said Monday. "At the end of the legislative session, we just want to have a source of funding."</p>
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Boosting funds for watershed and forest preservation programs, either through an increase in taxes on expensive real estate transactions or a fee on single-use plastic checkout bags, remains a priority for the Abercrombie administration, the state's land and natural resources director said.

"There are a lot of things attached to (watershed) restoration, which includes water for agriculture, which includes green forests for tourism, which includes managing soil runoff so it doesn't end up impacting our coral reefs," William Aila said Monday. "At the end of the legislative session, we just want to have a source of funding." Login for more...