STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1477

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 58

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Water and Land, to which was referred S.R. No. 58 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE COUNTY OF MAUI TO EMPLOY AN ARCHAEOLOGIST FOR THE PURPOSE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN REBUILDING LAHAINA,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the County of Maui to employ one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) archaeologist for the purpose of historic preservation in rebuilding Lahaina.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of ʻOiwi Resources of the County of Maui and one individual.

Your Committees find that the 2023 Maui wildfires devastated much of the historic town of Lahaina, destroying centuries-old buildings, cultural landmarks, and irreplaceable heritage sites that were central to its identity and history. Your Committees recognize that, due to the high sensitivity and likelihood of encountering sub-surface historic properties and iwi (bones) during the reconstruction process, many recovery projects will require archaeological monitoring and archaeological inventory surveys, significantly increasing the workload of existing county staff. This measure aims to provide dedicated technical support and resources to help the County of Maui face ongoing challenges in the protection of burial sites and sub-surface historic properties as it continues to rebuild from the 2023 Maui wildfires.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that, while numerous efforts have been made to address the rebuilding of Lahaina, no archaeologist has yet been fully engaged in preserving the history and culture of the community and the State during this critical rebuilding process; and

(2) 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 Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 58, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 58, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair