STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2350

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3035

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Water and Land and Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3035 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSERVATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds for planning and construction of the Laniakea state wayside park on the North Shore of Oahu.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Surfrider Foundation, Kamehameha Schools, and nine individuals.

     Your Committees find that beach-front construction, land reclamation, and increased tourism are examples of actions that continue to negatively affect Laniakea Beach on the North Shore of Oahu.  Your Committees are particularly concerned about the erosion of the shoreline of Laniakea Beach.  Your Committees believe that an emergency situation exists on Laniakea Beach as a result of recent high surf, high wind, and drenching rain, as revetments and beach hardening measures are failing to protect the North Shore.  Your Committees also find that this problem is not limited to Oahu's North Shore and is of statewide concern.  As far as Oahu is concerned, the Department of Transportation needs to place Kamehameha Highway back onto the Hawaii Statewide Transportation Improvement program as the first step to make improvements to the highway a priority.  The Hawaii Statewide Transportation Improvement program provides a multi-year listing of state and county projects and identifies those projects slated for federal funding.  It is a multi-modal transportation improvement program that is developed utilizing existing transportation plans and policies and current highway, transit, and transportation programming processes.  The program delineates the funding categories and the federal and local share required for each project.  The program is operated in cooperation with the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

     Your Committees find that although the proposed Laniakea state wayside park is largely independent of the realignment of Kamehameha Highway at Laniakea Beach, the Department of Transportation should plan for the creation of the Laniakea state wayside park and work the park into its realignment plans if possible.  Your Committees agree with the testimony of the Department of Transportation, which states, "After the actions associated with roadway alignment and disposition are confirmed and initiated, there could be meaningful discussion between the Department, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the City and County of Honolulu on the best management policy and infrastructure to enhance protection of the Hawaii green sea turtle and service the public in its desire to view and experience this popular species."

     Your Committees note the testimony of the Kamehameha Schools that it will cooperate with the Department of Transportation in planning for and realigning Kamehameha Highway as well as the development of a Laniakea state wayside park.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting sections 1, 2, and 4, which reference Laniakea state wayside park;

     (2)  Adding an appropriate purpose section;

     (3)  Adding language to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds to the Department of Transportation to plan for and realign Kamehameha Highway mauka of Laniakea Beach on the North Shore of Oahu; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Transportation and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3035, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3035, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

____________________________ MALAMA SOLOMON, Chair