STAND. COM. REP. NO 3189

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 52

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.R. No. 52 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SEVERAL COUNTIES TO REEVALUATE AND, IF NECESSARY, UPDATE THEIR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR CONSTRUCTION TO MINIMIZE SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENT RUN-OFF,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to minimize soil erosion and sediment run-off by requesting that the counties reevaluate and, if necessary, update their best management practices for construction.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hui o Ko‘olaupoko and fifteen individuals.

     Your Committees find that the construction process often involves the removal of vegetation, the alteration of topography, and the covering of previously vegetated surfaces with impervious cover such as roads, driveways, and buildings.  These changes to the landscape often result in the erosion of soil and sedimentation of water bodies as soil travels in water run-off.  Best management practices are generally effective and involve practical methods of eliminating or reducing the discharge of pollutants from construction sites into state waters; however, the State's nearshore waters continue to be polluted from run-off, despite existing best management practices.  Your Committees therefore conclude that existing best management practices for construction need to be reevaluated and strengthened to minimize soil erosion and sediment run-off that may damage the State's reefs and nearshore waters.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 52 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Energy and Environment,

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair