THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	5
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

requesting the Senate committee on water, land, agriculture and Hawaiian affairs and the house water, land, ocean resources and hawaiian affairs committee to convene a task force to identify issues related to potentially hazardous slope movement and to recommend ways to address these issues.

     WHEREAS, erosion is the displacement of soil, mud, rock, and other particles by the agents of wind, water, and downward or down-slope movement in response to gravity or by living organisms; and

     WHEREAS, rock, soil, or other slope movement can be potentially hazardous to people and property; and

     WHEREAS, in 2000, for instance, a rock slide on Kamehameha Highway near Waimea Bay led to the closure of the highway for more than two weeks; and

     WHEREAS, a young woman was killed when a six-ton boulder crashed into her Nuuanu home; and

     WHEREAS, other incidents have highlighted the instability of Hawaii's hillsides and cliffs, including the evacuation of a section of Hawaii Kai townhouses after a boulder rolled onto a resident's car; and

     WHEREAS, a task force should be created to identify issues related to potentially hazardous slope movement and to recommend ways to address these issues; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that the Senate Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and the House Water, Land, Ocean Resources and Hawaiian Affairs Committee are requested to convene a task force to identify issues related to potentially hazardous slope movement and to recommend ways to address these issues; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include interested legislators, council members, and community organizations, and at least one representative of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, the Hawaii County Planning Department, the Kauai County Department of Planning, and the Maui County Department of Planning; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force submit an interim report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2008 regular session, and submit a final report, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2009 Regular Session; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force also forward a copy of the interim report and the final report to the Governor, the Mayor of Honolulu, Mayor of Hawaii, Mayor of Kauai, Mayor of Maui, Chair of the Honolulu City Council, Chair of the Hawaii County Council, Chair of the Kauai County Council, and Chair of the Maui County Council; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the Chair of the Senate Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs; the Chair of the House Water, Land, Ocean Resources and Hawaiian Affairs Committee; Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Director of Transportation; Director of Health; Chair of the Honolulu City Council; Chair of the Hawaii County Council; Chair of the Kauai County Council; Chair of the Maui County Council; Director of the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting; Director of the Hawaii County Planning Department; Director of the Kauai County Department of Planning; and the Director of the Maui County Department of Planning.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Hazardous Slope Movement; Task Force