STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2169

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3077

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 3077 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MAALAEA SMALL BOAT HARBOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation for the capital improvement project at Maalaea Small Boat Harbor for the replacement of wooden finger piers along the south mole at the harbor, including the demolition of the existing piers and steel piles, installation of new aluminum framed piers, and new composite plastic fingering.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Mayor of Maui County, Maui Dive Shop, Ocean Tourism Coalition, and six individuals.

     Your Committee finds that initial construction for the Maalaea Small Boat Harbor was in 1952, and the harbor was built for recreational and commercial fishing vessels.  In fiscal year 2013, the harbor had over $960,000 in revenues, with 75 percent of revenues from commercial operators, and it is the highest grossing harbor in Maui County and the third highest statewide.

     Your Committee further finds that the heavily-used Maalaea Small Boat Harbor on Maui serves as a vital connection to recreational and commercial ocean activities.  It is therefore important to keep this small boat harbor in good working condition.  Unfortunately, the finger piers located along the south mole at Maalaea Small Boat Harbor are badly deteriorated and beyond repair.  Replacement of the wooden finger piers is necessary to ensure the continued support of the commercial operators who use and depend on access to the Maalaea Small Boat Harbor.

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources estimates that $4,000,000 is needed to replace seventeen wooden finger piers and associated concrete piles along the south mole of the harbor, where most of the large capacity commercial tour operators are located.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3077 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

____________________________

MALAMA SOLOMON, Chair