Opinion ID: 870682
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Chapter 205 is a law[] relating to environmental quality within the meaning of article XI, section 9

Text: Article XI, section 9 establishes the right to a clean and healthful environment, as defined by laws relating to environmental quality. The provision goes on to set forth examples of such laws, including laws relating to control of pollution and the conservation, protection and enhancement of natural resources. HRS chapter 205 is a law relating to the conservation, protection and enhancement of natural resources, and thus falls within the scope the enforcement right established by article XI, section 9. When the legislature enacted what became HRS chapter 205 in 1961, it stated that the purpose of the statute was to preserve, protect and encourage the development of the lands in the State for those uses to which they are best suited for the public welfare[.] 1961 Haw. Sess. Laws Act 187, § 1. A committee report on the bill stated that its purpose was to protect and conserve through zoning the urban, and agricultural and conservation lands within all counties in order to, inter alia, conserve forests, water resources and land. See H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 395, in 1961 House Journal, at 855. Moreover, in Curtis v. Board of Appeals, County of Hawai`i, 90 Hawai`i 384, 978 P.2d 822 (1999), this court examined the reason and spirit of the statute and concluded that its overarching purpose... is to `protect and conserve' natural resources and foster `intelligent,' `effective,' and `orderly' land allocation and development. Id. at 396, 978 P.2d at 834 (emphasis added, citation omitted). Consistent with that understanding, the provisions of chapter 205 expressly require consideration of issues relating to the preservation or conservation of natural resources. See HRS § 205-17(3) (requiring that the land use commission in reviewing any petition for reclassification of district boundaries consider among other things [t]he impact of the proposed reclassification on the [p]reservation or maintenance of important natural systems or habitats, the [m]aintenance of valued cultural, historical, or natural resources and the [m]aintenance of other natural resources relevant to Hawaii's economy, including, but not limited to, agricultural resources); HRS § 205-2(e) (mandating that land classified as conservation districts include areas necessary for protecting watersheds and water sources; preserving scenic and historic areas; providing park lands, wilderness and beach reserves; conserving indigenous or endemic plants, fish and wildlife....). Finally, HRS § 607-25 reflects the legislature's determination that chapter 205 is an environmental quality law. That determination is particularly pertinent since article XI, section 9 does not itself define the substantive content of the right to a clean and healthful environment, but rather leaves it to the legislature to determine. HRS § 607-25 is a fee recovery statute that authorizes the recovery of attorneys' fees and costs by private parties against other private parties who undertake development without obtaining all permits or approvals required by law from government agencies[.] HRS § 607-25(e). HRS § 607-25(c) provides that [f]or purposes of this section, the permits or approvals required by law shall include compliance with the requirements for permits or approvals established by chapter[] ... 205... and ordinances or rules adopted pursuant thereto under chapter 91. Thus, permits or approvals required by chapter 205 are expressly covered by the statute. The legislature explained the purpose of HRS § 607-25 as follows: The legislature finds that article XI, section 9, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii has given the public standing to use the courts to enforce laws intended to protect the environment. However, the legislature finds that the public has rarely used this right and that there have been increasing numbers of after-the-fact permits for illegal private development. Although the legislature notes that some government agencies are having difficulty with the full and timely enforcement of permit requirements against private parties, after-the-fact permits are not a desirable form of permit streamlining. For these reasons, the legislature concludes that to improve the implementation of laws to protect health, environmental quality, and natural resources, the impediment of high legal costs must be reduced for public interest groups by allowing the award of attorneys' fees, in cases involving illegal development by private parties. 1986 Haw. Sess. Laws Act 80, § 1 at 104-105 (emphasis added). Thus, in enacting HRS § 607-25, the legislature recognized that chapter 205 implements the guarantee of a clean and healthful environment established by article XI, section 9. Accordingly, we conclude that chapter 205 is a law[] relating to environmental quality within the meaning of article XI, section 9.