STAND. COM. REP. NO. 618

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 690

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment, Water and Land, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 690 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLIMATE CHANGE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to implement the recommendations of the Hawai‘i Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report issued by the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Land Use Commission, Hawaii Farmers Union, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, IMUAlliance, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Surfrider Foundation, Prince Kūhiō Hawaiian Civic Club, Society for Hawaiian Archaeology, and eleven individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Environmental Quality Control, Office of Planning, and American Institute of Architects.

Your Committees find that in December 2017, the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission accepted the Hawaii Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report (SLR Report). The first recommendation of the SLR Report is to recognize the SLR-XA (Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Area) as a statewide vulnerability zone. The SLR-XA demonstrates the extent of the potential exposure of land and structures to flooding and erosion with an increase of 0.5, 1.1, 2.0, and 3.2 feet of sea level rise throughout the State. Thus, your Committees believe that sea level rise is a concern for all who live, work, or play within coastal areas of the State and action must be taken to mitigate the impacts.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

Your Committees find that proper appropriation amounts may be more appropriately addressed by your Committee on Ways and Means and requests your Committee on Ways and Means to determine those amounts.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment, Water and Land, and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 690, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 690, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair	________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair
	________________________________ LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair