HI HB540

Amends Hawaii's instream water protection law to require the Commission on Water Resources Management to consider streams within geographic regions together when establishing instream flow standards, rather than on a purely stream-by-stream basis.

Modifies instream flow standard descriptions to require the commission to explain how standards for all streams in a region combine to protect fishery, wildlife, recreational, aesthetic, scenic, and other beneficial instream uses while addressing noninstream uses.

Requires the commission to consider how instream flow standards across a geographic region can achieve maximum beneficial uses of the state's waters when formulating proposed standards and weighing instream versus noninstream uses.

Extends the regional consideration requirement to interim instream flow standards and petitions, requiring petitioners to address the impact of noninstream water uses in the context of all streams within a geographic region.

Takes effect upon approval.