(BIVN) – A House Bill that would have funded the necessary environmental studies to drill water wells at two East Hawaiʻi ag parks was killed today in Senate committee.

The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment deferred House Bill 1937 on Friday afternoon. The bill would have appropriated funds to the Department of Agriculture “for the preparation of an environmental impact statement, or EIS, to drill non-potable water wells on individual parcels at Panʻaewa and Pāhoa agricultural parks.”

The Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill. Deputy Kelcie Nagata said the funding to do the EIS on two specific ag parks “may be subject to challenge, because laws involving State lands should be general laws, and not specific laws as enumerated in the Constitution.”

The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture also opposed the bill. Deputy Dexter Kishida testified that “spending public funds for a specific private entity” doesn’t fit the norm. “Where our irrigation systems feed multiple users, this really would be owned by the lessee, while it is on public property,” said Kishida.

Brian Miyamoto, executive director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill. “We just wanted to clarify,” Miyamoto said, that the measure “is asking for funds for the EIS, not for the actual drilling. The farmers will pay for that part.”

“We’re just asking for some assistance for Panaʻewa and Pāhoa farmers and we asked for your support for this measure,” Miyamoto added.

Eric Tanouye of Green Point Nurseries in Hilo also submitted written testimony in support of the bill on behalf of the Hawaiʻi Floriculture and Nursery Association.

Ultimately, committee chair Senator Mike Gabbard said his recommendation would be to defer the measure indefinitely “due to the departments concerns regarding funding private entities with public funds,” and to allow the department time to discuss the issue with the Attorney General.