STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1165-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2303

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 2303, S.D. 2, 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 to develop and report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2022 an emergency intervention plan for the Wahiawa dam and reservoir;

(2) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to study and report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2021 on the feasibility of the State acquiring the Wahiawa dam and reservoir; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the Wahiawa dam and reservoir emergency intervention plan and study to determine the feasibility of the State acquiring the Wahiawa dam and reservoir.

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

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 with regard to 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) Extending the deadline for the report to the Legislature on the feasibility of the State acquiring the Wahiawa dam and reservoir to twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022;

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

(3) 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 S.B. No. 2303, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2303, S.D. 2, 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