STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2044

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 765

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 765, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COASTAL PLANNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the State, in the preparation of new plans and updates to existing plans generated under the Hawaii State Planning Act pursuant to chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to incorporate evaluations, predictions, and recommendations pertaining to sea level rise projections, including findings from the sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report prepared by the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission.

Prior to decision making on this measure, your Committee made available for public review a proposed Senate Draft No. 2 (Proposed Draft) of this measure. The Proposed Draft amends the measure by:

(1) Designating the existing substantive provisions of the measure as part I;

(2) Clarifying that state plans are to incorporate the most recent version of the sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report prepared by the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission;

(3) Inserting a new part II to the measure, which appropriates $150,000 for the facilitation of communications related to environmental protection, clean waters, and ecosystem preservation of the Ala Wai watershed and surrounding areas; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive changes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of Senate Draft No. 1 from the Sierra Club of Hawaii and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the Proposed Draft from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Life of the Land, and three individuals.

Your Committee received comments on the Proposed Draft from the Office of Planning.

Your Committee recognizes that planning for sea level rise and appropriating funds in relation to the Ala Wai watershed and surrounding areas is necessary to protect coastal structures, infrastructure, and the environment.

Your Committee has amended this measure by adopting the Proposed Draft and further amending the Proposed Draft by:

(1) Inserting a provision that requires the Public Utilities Commission to incorporate into its plans the same sea level rise information required in state plans generated under the Hawaii State Planning Act;

(2) Clarifying that the appropriation is for mitigation of the negative impacts of watershed and coastal flooding through the facilitation of stakeholder communications and public engagement related to environmental protection, clean waters, ecosystem preservation and restoration, and community and cultural considerations of the Ala Wai watershed and surrounding areas;

(3) Changing the amount of the appropriation to an unspecified sum;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2035, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(5) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 765, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 765, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair