STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1316

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1064

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1064, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DAM AND APPURTENANCE SAFETY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the improvement or removal of deficient dams and appurtenances by:

 

     (1)  Establishing and appropriating monies for a Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program to provide the owners of private dams and appurtenances with funds for plans, design, construction, and equipment to improve or remove deficient dams and appurtenances, as determined by the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and

 

     (2)  Appropriating monies for certain operating expenses and the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent positions in the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.

 

     Your Committee finds that while the owners of private dams are responsible for maintaining their dams, there are potential hazards associated with deficient dams.  This measure would assist private dam owners to finance the repair, removal, or rehabilitation of their dams to meet proper safety standards.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

Your Committee respectfully requests that your Committee on Finance, should it choose to deliberate on this measure, to consider appropriating:

 

     (1)  $220,000 in recurring funds for the two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent positions in the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and

 

     (2)  $15,000,000 in one-time seed funding for the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1064, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1064, 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,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair