§171-3 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. The department shall manage, administer, and exercise control over public lands, the water resources, ocean waters, navigable streams, coastal areas (excluding commercial harbor areas), and minerals and all other interests therein and exercise such powers of disposition thereof as may be authorized by law. The department shall also manage and administer the state parks, historical sites, forests, forest reserves, aquatic life, aquatic life sanctuaries, public fishing areas, boating, ocean recreation, coastal programs, wildlife, wildlife sanctuaries, game management areas, public hunting areas, natural area reserves, and other functions assigned by law.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), beginning January 1, 2010, the authority to manage, administer, and exercise control over any public lands that are designated important agricultural lands pursuant to section 205-44.5, shall be transferred to the department of agriculture. [L 1962, c 32, pt of §2; am L 1963, c 135, §4; Supp, §103A-3; HRS §171-3; am L 1981, c 116, §2; am L 1983, c 15, §2; am L 1991, c 272, §4; am L 1999, c 6, §2; am L 2008, c 233, §16]

Cross References

Functions and authority, generally, see Const. art. XI, §2 and §26-15.

Interagency climate adaptation committee, see §225P-3.

Case Notes

Where the subject matter covered by Revised Ordinances of Honolulu §7-7.2 was the protection of the public against harm caused by dangerous dogs anywhere within the City's territorial limits by imposing criminal sanctions on dog owners who negligently fail to control their dangerous dogs, the ordinance was not aimed at regulating activities or managing resources within ocean waters; thus, the ordinance did not cover the same subject matter embraced by the department's authority to manage and control ocean waters pursuant to this section and did not conflict with state law. 120 H. 486 (App.), 210 P.3d 9.