§26-15  Department of land and natural
resources.  (a)  The department of land and natural resources shall be
headed by an executive board to be known as the board of land and natural
resources, except for matters relating to the state water code where the
commission on water resource management shall have exclusive jurisdiction and
final authority.



The board shall consist of seven members, one
from each land district and three at large.  The appointment, tenure, and
removal of the members and the filling of vacancies on the board shall be as
provided in section 26-34.  At least one member of the board shall have a
background in conservation and natural resources, as provided in section 171-4.



The governor shall appoint the chairperson of
the board from among the members thereof.



The board may delegate to the chairperson such
duties, powers, and authority, or so much thereof, as may be lawful or proper
for the performance of the functions vested in the board.



The chairperson of the board shall serve in a
full-time capacity.  The chairperson, in that capacity, shall perform those
duties, and exercise those powers and authority, or so much thereof, as may be
delegated by the board.



(b)  The department shall manage and administer
the public lands of the State and minerals thereon and all water and coastal
areas of the State except the commercial harbor areas of the State, including
the soil conservation function, the forests and forest reserves, aquatic life,
wildlife resources, state parks, including historic sites, and all activities
thereon and therein including, but not limited to, boating, ocean recreation,
and coastal areas programs.



(c)  The functions and authority heretofore
exercised by the commissioner and board of public lands (including the hydrography
division and the bureau of conveyances), the Hawaii water authority, the
commission on ground water resources, the Hawaii land development authority,
the soil conservation committee, and the commission on historical sites and the
function of managing the state parks and the function of promoting the
conservation, development and utilization of forests, including the regulatory
powers over the forest reserve, aquatic life and wildlife resources of the
State heretofore exercised by the board of commissioners of agriculture and
forestry as heretofore constituted are transferred to the department of land
and natural resources established by this chapter. [L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §21; am
L 1961, c 132, §1(b) to (e); am L 1963, c 10, §1; am L 1965, c 223, §8(b);
Supp, §14A-20; am L 1967, c 145, §1; HRS §26-15; am L 1983, c 15, §1; am L
1987, c 45, §3; am L 1991, c 272, §3; am L 1999, c 6, §1; am L 2002, c 16, §3;
am L 2005, c 9, §1]