STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1397

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 162

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Water and Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 162 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT EACH EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT IDENTIFY DEPARTMENTAL FACILITIES THAT MAY BE VULNERABLE TO FLOODING AND OTHER IMPACTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE AND ASSESS OPTIONS FOR MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE ON THOSE FACILITIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that each executive department:

(1) Identify existing and planned departmental facilities, including critical infrastructure facilities that are vulnerable to flooding and other impacts of sea level rise;

(2) Assess options for mitigating the impacts of sea level rise to existing and planned departmental facilities, especially those facilities located in areas in which the conservation of beaches and coastal environments is desired; and

(3) Submit a report to the Governor, Legislature, and Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each Regular Session.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawai‘i Reef and Ocean Coalition, and the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Office of Planning.

Your Committees find that with the recent estimate of three feet or more in sea level rise in the second half of this century, it is critical that the State proactively address potential climate change impacts on existing and planned public infrastructure. Your Committees note that certain departments may lack the necessary resources required to fund and administer the research, analysis, and recommendations requested by this measure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting that infrastructure also be identified and assessed along with the departmental facilities that may be vulnerable to flooding and other impacts of sea level rise;

(2) Requesting that the Office of Planning coordinate the efforts of each executive department to identify and assess vulnerable facilities and infrastructure;

(3) Requesting that the Office of Planning submit the report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; 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 Government Operations and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 162, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 162, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair