344-4. Guidelines
In pursuance of the state policy to conserve the natural resources and enhance the quality of life, all agencies, in the development of programs, shall, insofar as practicable, consider the following guidelines:
(1) Population.
(A) Recognize population impact as a major
factor in environmental degradation and adopt guidelines to alleviate this
impact and minimize future degradation;
(B) Recognize optimum population levels for
counties and districts within the State, keeping in mind that these will change
with technology and circumstance, and adopt guidelines to limit population to
the levels determined.
(2) Land, water, mineral, visual, air, and other
natural resources.
(A) Encourage management practices which
conserve and fully utilize all natural resources;
(B) Promote irrigation and waste water
management practices which conserve and fully utilize vital water resources;
(C) Promote the recycling of waste water;
(D) Encourage management practices which
conserve and protect watersheds and water sources, forest, and open space
areas;
(E) Establish and maintain natural area
preserves, wildlife preserves, forest reserves, marine preserves, and unique
ecological preserves;
(F) Maintain an integrated system of state
land use planning which coordinates the state and county general plans;
(G) Promote the optimal use of solid wastes
through programs of waste prevention, energy resource recovery, and recycling
so that all our wastes become utilized.
(3) Flora and fauna.
(A) Protect endangered species of indigenous
plants and animals and introduce new plants or animals only upon assurance of
negligible ecological hazard;
(B) Foster the planting of native as well as
other trees, shrubs, and flowering plants compatible to the enhancement of our
environment.
(4) Parks, recreation, and open space.
(A) Establish, preserve and maintain scenic,
historic, cultural, park and recreation areas, including the shorelines, for
public recreational, educational, and scientific uses;
(B) Protect the shorelines of the State from
encroachment of artificial improvements, structures, and activities;
(C) Promote open space in view of its natural
beauty not only as a natural resource but as an ennobling, living environment
for its people.
(5) Economic development.
(A) Encourage industries in Hawaii which
would be in harmony with our environment;
(B) Promote and foster the agricultural
industry of the State; and preserve and conserve productive agricultural lands;
(C) Encourage federal activities in Hawaii to
protect the environment;
(D) Encourage all industries including the
fishing, aquaculture, oceanography, recreation, and forest products industries
to protect the environment;
(E) Establish visitor destination areas with
planning controls which shall include but not be limited to the number of
rooms;
(F) Promote and foster the aquaculture
industry of the State; and preserve and conserve productive aquacultural lands.
(6) Transportation.
(A) Encourage transportation systems in
harmony with the lifestyle of the people and environment of the State;
(B) Adopt guidelines to alleviate
environmental degradation caused by motor vehicles;
(C) Encourage public and private vehicles and
transportation systems to conserve energy, reduce pollution emission, including
noise, and provide safe and convenient accommodations for their users.
(7) Energy.
(A) Encourage the efficient use of energy
resources.
(8) Community life and housing.
(A) Foster lifestyles compatible with the
environment; preserve the variety of lifestyles traditional to Hawaii through
the design and maintenance of neighborhoods which reflect the culture and mores
of the community;
(B) Develop communities which provide a sense
of identity and social satisfaction in harmony with the environment and provide
internal opportunities for shopping, employment, education, and recreation;
(C) Encourage the reduction of environmental
pollution which may degrade a community;
(D) Foster safe, sanitary, and decent homes;
(E) Recognize community appearances as major
economic and aesthetic assets of the counties and the State; encourage green
belts, plantings, and landscape plans and designs in urban areas; and preserve
and promote mountain-to-ocean vistas.
(9) Education and culture.
(A) Foster culture and the arts and promote
their linkage to the enhancement of the environment;
(B) Encourage both formal and informal
environmental education to all age groups.
(10) Citizen participation.
(A) Encourage all individuals in the State to
adopt a moral ethic to respect the natural environment; to reduce waste and
excessive consumption; and to fulfill the responsibility as trustees of the
environment for the present and succeeding generations; and
(B) Provide for expanding citizen
participation in the decision making process so it continually embraces more
citizens and more issues.
[L 1974, c 247, pt of §1; am L 1976, c 27, §2; am L
1985, c 76, §1; gen ch 1993]
