STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1928

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 153

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 153, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TO CONDUCT A STUDY THAT EVALUATES POSSIBLE METHODS OF FLOOD REMEDIATION AND FLOOD AVERSION FOR CERTAIN AREAS OF THE ISLAND OF MOLOKAI,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct a study that evaluates possible methods of flood remediation and flood aversion for certain areas of the island of Molokai inhabited by Hawaiian homestead beneficiaries.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee finds that flooding on the island of Molokai has become increasingly dangerous, as evidenced by two recent large storms that halted vehicles in thick mud, turned highways into rivers, and had homeowners wading through knee-deep water. Your Committee further finds that these flooding events have significantly impacted the lives of the many Hawaiian homestead beneficiaries on Molokai whose homes have been repeatedly damaged by stormwater runoff and mud and that an effective flood management plan is necessary to prepare against future heavy rainfall events. Therefore, this measure requests the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct a study that evaluates methods for flood mitigation and remediation for the homestead areas of Kalama‘ula, Kapa‘akea, Kamiloloa, and Makakupa‘ia on the island of Molokai.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which attested that the Department recently approved a South Molokai Shoreline Erosion Management Plan that will allow the Department to begin the planning process for the "Developing Community Resilience for Molokai Coastal Homesteads" project, which will take place over the next two years. The Department further attested that this effort will be used in the subsequent preparation of a Community Resilience Plan for the communities of Kalama‘ula, Kapa‘akea, Kamiloloa, Makakupa‘ia, and the Department-owned portion of Malama Park in Kaunakakai.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 153, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

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MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair