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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
86 |
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TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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RESOLUTION
Urging the Hawaii 2050 Task Force to use a science-based framework as the guide to mapping and measuring the successes in realizing the goals of the Sustainability Plan.
WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Planning Act (Planning Act) was enacted in 1978 to "increase the effectiveness of government and private actions, to improve coordination among different agencies and levels of government, to provide for the wise use of Hawaii's resources and to guide the future development of the State"; and
WHEREAS, under the Planning Act, the Hawaii State Plan was to be defined by the principles of:
(1) Individual and family self-sufficiency;
(2) Social and economic mobility; and
(3) Community or social well-being;
and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Legislature through Act 8, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, established a Sustainability Plan to address those principles and the emerging vital needs of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, the need for a Sustainability Plan resulted from a recognition that the state faces a growing number of pressing issues, among which are:
(1) A steady deterioration of public infrastructure;
(2) Lack of affordable housing with average statewide single family home prices nearing $600,000;
(3) Traffic congestion on all islands;
(4) Groundwater supplies reaching dangerously low or unsustainable levels;
(5) Continued reliance on low-wage tourism jobs;
(6) The vulnerability of Hawaii in a volatile global energy market;
(7) Possible interruptions in travel and needed food supplies;
(8) Depletion of natural resources and threats to our fragile island ecosystems;
(9) Population growth at an increasingly rapid rate, particularly on the Neighbor Islands;
(10) Alienated youth and disenfranchised communities; and
(11) A statewide educational system that is in the process of "reinventing" itself;
and
WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the Sustainability Plan for Hawaii should be all-inclusive, relying on participation by all segments of society and that a Hawaii sustainability initiative would engage youth, private citizens, government leaders, business interests, and visitors alike, to analyze actions through the lenses of concern for quality of life issues, including the wellness of water, air quality, land use, energy and ocean resources, social justice, and preservation of Hawaii's varied cultures; and
WHEREAS, the Sustainability Plan is intended to provide an integrated framework for policies and establish a systems-thinking approach to guide all stakeholders in their kuleana (responsibility) actions to enrich the quality of life in Hawaii; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Hawaii 2050 Task Force is urged to use a science-based framework as the guide to mapping and measuring the successes in realizing the goals of the Sustainability Plan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of the Office of Planning, Auditor, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairperson of the Hawaii 2050 Task Force, Mayor of each County, and Dean of the University of Hawaii School of Urban and Regional Planning.
Report Title:
Hawaii 2050 Task Force and Plan; Science-based Framework