STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2361

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2303

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2303 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Direct the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and implement an emergency intervention plan for the Wahiawa dam and reservoir; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Defense, Department of Emergency Management of the City and County of Honolulu, Life of the Land, and Dole Food Company, Inc.

Your Committee further finds that climate change creates increased risks of both drought and sea level rise, making it critical to maintain the State's water storage capabilities and to protect downstream communities from flooding. To address these risks, the Wahiawa dam and reservoir, which serves as a major water supply for central and North Shore Oahu, must be carefully monitored for safety and must be the subject of an emergency intervention plan. This measure will direct the Department of Land and Natural Resources Engineering Division dam safety program to develop and implement an emergency intervention plan for the Wahiawa dam and reservoir which will minimize risks to downstream communities during an emergency event.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of December 31, 2033, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2303, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2303, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair