STAND. COM. REP. NO. 246-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1848

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection to which was referred H.B. No. 1848 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend chapter 205A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to strengthen state policies to reduce residential exposure to coastal hazards and protect state beaches and to update language for consistency with other Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Sierra Club of Hawaii, Surfrider Oahu, Climate Protectors Coalition, Hawaii Youth Climate Coalition, Life of the Land, Imua Alliance, and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Office of Planning, and Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that current coastal zone management policies and regulations concerning protection of beaches, beach access, and beach ecosystems are inadequate, primarily because of sea level rise and other natural and human impacts, but also because the policies and regulations are unable to reconcile development along dynamic beach systems while protecting these natural environments.  To address these inadequacies, state coastal zone management policies must be strengthened to conserve beaches for present and future generations while also reducing hazard exposure to shorefront communities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Incorporating clarifying language provided by the Department of Land and Natural Resources about when a person who is experiencing hardship may not apply for a shoreline setback variance;

(2) Incorporating language by the Office of Planning to make consistent coastal zone policies about protection of beach systems;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1848, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1848, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair