STAND. COM. REP. NO. 106-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2031

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2031 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WAHIAWA DAM AND RESERVOIR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources Engineering Division Dam Safety Program (Department) to develop and implement an emergency intervention plan for the Wahiawa dam and reservoir;

(2) Require the Department to submit the Wahiawa dam and reservoir emergency intervention plan to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the development and implementation of the Wahiawa dam and reservoir emergency intervention plan.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Life of the Land.

Your Committee finds that climate change increases the risk of drought and sea level rise, making it critical to maintain the State's water storage capabilities and protect downstream communities from flooding. This measure seeks to address those issues by requiring the Department to develop and implement an emergency intervention plan for the Wahiawa dam and reservoir, which serves as a major water supply for central and North Shore Oahu.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the requirement that the Department implement the intervention plan, as the Department has that authority only in the event of an emergency and the responsibility to remedy unsafe conditions rests with the dam's owner;

(2) Clarifying that the Department position, for which funds are being appropriated, is to aid in the development of the intervention plan;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2031, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2031, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair