STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1097

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1609

       H.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1609, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to exclude from the repair or maintenance of existing state roads and highways, to the extent the repair and maintenance is necessary to preserve or regain the integrity of the road or highway from damage caused by environmental impacts upon or beneath the road or highway, from the definition of "development" under the State's coastal zone management law.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, West Maui Taxpayers Association, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, and Lahaina Bypass Now.  Testimony in opposition was received from Hawaii's Thousand Friends.

     Your Committee finds that this measure would assist in expediting the State's ability to address urgent road work repair by protecting the road's integrity from the elements.  The recent earthquake that damaged many roads on the island of Hawaii points out the susceptibility of roads to damage by natural forces, which need urgent and immediate repair.  These repairs are to existing roads and highways, which should cause minimal harm to the environment.  In most cases in special management areas, the original construction would have required a special management area permit.  Your Committee believes that this measure will help expedite the necessary repair and maintenance of the State's existing roads and highways while minimizing any adverse impacts that the repair or maintenance action may cause.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1609, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair