STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2228

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.C.R. No. 35

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 35 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAI‘I COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING WATER ACCESS AND STRENGTHENING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ON HAWAI‘I ISLAND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply to convene a working group to examine opportunities for increasing water access and strengthening water infrastructure for underserved communities on Hawaii Island.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from Ku Pono Aloha Farms, LLC.

Your Committee finds that many communities located on the southwestern side of Hawaii Island lack access to county water infrastructure, posing a glaring example of structural inequality for that part of the island, which ranks below the state average in household income, educational attainment, and other key social and economic indicators. Your Committee further finds that lack of access to a consistent water supply prevents the development of basic infrastructure in rural and remote areas, including the establishment of public schools, medical and community health centers, grocery stores, and financial institutions. The working group contemplated by this measure would evaluate ways to address this water access inequity and involve key stakeholders in the process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by specifically requesting that the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply invite Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and members of the Native Hawaiian community to participate in the working group.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 35, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 35, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair