SCR235 SD1

WHEREAS, historic preservation in Hawai‘i is presently in a condition of unprecedented confusion and disarray, making it nearly impossible for the State to meet its cultural and historic preservation obligations and legislative mandates to promote the use and conservation of historical properties for the benefit of the various descendent communities; and

WHEREAS, the discovery, identification, and preservation of archaeological sites, human burial sites, and other historic properties are increasingly threatened by economic development; and

WHEREAS, over the past twenty years, the number of remaining historic properties has diminished significantly due to development and land use practices; and

WHEREAS, with careful planning and open lines of communication among archaeologists, developers, descendent communities, and state officials, a reduced number of historic properties and archaeological or human burial sites would be disturbed; and

WHEREAS, when disturbance of archaeological sites, human burial sites, and other historic properties does occur, the response must be in a culturally sensitive and productive fashion; and

WHEREAS, the severe shortage of historic preservation professionals, particularly credentialed archaeologists, is exacerbating the historic preservation crisis; and

WHEREAS, protecting the State's cultural and historic heritage requires the development of systematic and long-term plans to train the next generation of archaeologists with solid professional skills, ethical standards, and cultural knowledge; and

WHEREAS, in order to address the long-term need of training future generations of qualified archaeologists, it is necessary for the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa to build upon a Master of Arts program in applied archaeology and to expand that program to the neighbor island campuses such as the planned graduate program in cultural resources management being developed at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo; and

WHEREAS, in 2006, the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources convened an archaeological working group; and

WHEREAS, this working group stopped meeting prior to the completion of its findings and recommendations; and

WHEREAS, in order to further the consideration of ongoing and future archaeological issues, this working group should be reconvened with an expanded membership for the purpose of completing its work; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the House of Representatives concurring, that the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa is strongly encouraged to continue to develop and implement a Master of Arts program in applied archaeology and to expand this program to its neighbor island campuses including the planned graduate program in cultural resources management being developed at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 2006 archaeology working group convened by the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources be reconvened with its first order of business to be the submission of the recommendations of the original working group to the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources for possible action; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the reconvened working group, to the extent practicable, should consist of the original members and also include a broader cross-section of the State's historic preservation community, such as representatives of the Kamehameha Schools, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, private cultural resource management firms, and archaeologists and historic preservation officials of state, county, and federal agencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the reconvened working group is requested to continue its work on providing findings and recommendations regarding ongoing and anticipated issues relating to the discovery and preservation of archaeological and human burial sites and other relevant issues relating to archaeology; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the reconvened working group is requested to identify and make recommendations to the Legislature on any professional development and certification requirements that should be established for personnel and contractors of the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the reconvened working group is requested to identify and make recommendations to the Legislature on potential training and educational opportunities that should be made available to Island Burial Council members to assist them in the performance of their duties; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the reconvened working group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature, including any proposed legislation, by no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; provided, however, that the reconvened working group shall submit a status report to the Legislature describing the present status of its work by no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2009; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Hawai‘i, the Chair of the Board of Regents, the Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Administrator of the State Historic Preservation Division, and the original members of the archaeological working group convened in 2006 by the State Historic Preservation Division.

Report Title:

Applied Archaeology Program; Archaeological Working Group

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	235
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII