STAND. COM. REP. NO. 4067

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 35

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 35 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO DEVELOP A PRELIMINARY DRAFT EVACUATION PLAN FOR THE AREAS WITHIN LAVA ZONES 1, 2, 3, 4, AND 6,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to develop a preliminary draft evacuation plan for the areas within lava zones 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on Earth and a future eruption of Mauna Loa along its southwest rift zone would put developed South Kona and Kau communities at risk. Your Committee further finds that the United States Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and County of Hawaii Civil Defense identified that there is no current evacuation plan in place specifically for lava zones 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. This measure will protect the communities of South Kona and Kau by requesting the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to develop a preliminary draft evacuation plan for the areas within lava zones 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 35, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair